Senator Republic Alaska Lisa Murkowski said her colleagues were afraid to speak against some actions from President Donald Trump and the main advisor Elon Musk because they thought they would be “revealed” and “Primaris.”
“You have all the lipped people.
“You know, we can’t be guys not to talk.”
Senator Lisa Murkowski spoke to press outside the Senate room, February 20, 2025 in Washington.
Alex WROBLEWSKI/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Both Trump and Musk have threatened the main dissidents in the party. Recently, Trump threatened to lead accusations against Republic of Republic Thomas Massie in the preliminary selection, after members of the congress said he would not choose not to the sustainable resolution supported by Trump to fund the government.
“Maybe Elon Musk decided that he would take the next billions of dollars that he produced from Starlink and put it directly against Lisa Murkowksi. And you know what. That might happen. But I didn’t give up one minute, one chance to try to defend Alaska,” he said.
Earlier on Tuesday, Murkowski spoke to Alaska’s legislature, saying that he was “disturbed” with how Trump’s administration treated federal employees as part of the efforts led by Musk to reduce federal labor.
“I think everyone in this room will agree that the federal government is too large,” he said. “I support the mission behind Doge. I understand. We need to find efficiency in government.”
Elon Musk Boards Air Force One at the Andrews Joint Base in Maryland, March 14, 2025.
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
He said that the reduction in labor makes sense “makes sense,” but asking that it be carried out “in the right way.” Murkowski said the administrative approach “does not have the fundamental politeness you need with real people.”
“Civil servants are not our enemies. They are our friends. They are our neighbors, they are an integral part of our economy and our ability to function as countries and countries, and their work may be less appreciated.”
He also said that Trump’s administration “tested the court” in ignoring the federal judge’s orders to stop two deportation flights allegedly gang members to El Salvador during the weekend.
“I don’t think that one of us will disagree that when you have a truly terrible gang member who has done some bad things and that is not in this country legally, we don’t want it here,” he said. “But even when we want to get it out from our country, there is a process, it is called a legal process. We follow our own rules here.”
“When the court orders are opposed, it weakens our court. When people no longer believe that the justice system exists for them, what do we have in this country?”
Murkowski also touched foreign policy in his remarks, noting the closeness of his home state with Russia and Canada.
President Donald Trump took a question from a reporter before climbing to the Air Force when he departed from the combined base of Andrews in Maryland, March 14, 2025.
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
In Trump’s second term, he had imposed a significant tariff on Canadian steel and aluminum and repeatedly expressed his desire to turn Canada into the 51st country. Trump’s steps have led the Canadian boycott of United States products and protests.
“How do we get to the place where we fight now with Canada and we are fine with Russia – it’s beyond my reach,” Murkowski said.
After the speech, Murkowski discussed criticism that he might not do enough to push back to Trump’s administration and argue that he must “find a place to work” with the President, chosen by Alaska in November. Red-red country choosing Trump in the presidential election 54.5% for 41% who chose Vice President Kamala Harris.
He also said he would not retreat to his beliefs – and said he would accept the consequences.
“I will not compromise my own integrity by hiding my words when I feel the need to be spoken,” he said. “I will accept the criticism that comes.”
“I was criticized for what I said, and then everyone like, ‘Well, why no one else says something?’ Now find out, because they see how many things they throw to me and they think ‘maybe I will only duck and cover up.’ “
Murkowski, who chose to punish Trump in his second impeachment trial in 2021, also opposed confirmation of the Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. But he chose to confirm other Trump candidates, including the Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and Secretary of Health and Humanitarian Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Murkowski is ready to be re -elected in 2028.