A Republican senator has said “we are all afraid” of retaliation from President Donald Trump for being critical of his policies.
Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski told non-profit and tribal leaders that speaking about tariffs, executive orders and federal cuts made her “anxious.”
Senator Lisa Murkowski said everyone was afraid of criticizing Trump but she would continue to do so
Image credits: Kayla Bartkowski / Getty Images
“We are all afraid,” Murkowski said at The Foraker Group’s leadership summit in Anchorage on Monday.
“It’s quite a statement. But we are in a time and a place where I certainly have not been here before,” she added.
“And I’ll tell you, I am oftentimes very anxious myself about using my voice, because retaliation is real. And that’s not right.”
Murkowski made the comments after being asked what she would tell people who were afraid of the Trump administration’s policy changes.
“I’m going to use my voice to the best of my ability,” Murkowski said.
“I’ve got to figure out how I can do my best to help the many who are so anxious and are so afraid,” the 67-year-old senator added.
Policies she criticized included potentially “devastating” sweeping cuts to Medicaid and the work of the de facto Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Alaska is among the states that have the highest percentage of federal workers, meaning they could be hit the hardest by DOGE cuts aimed at shrinking the federal government.
Since February, DOGE has engineered over 280,000 planned layoffs of federal workers and contractors, impacting 27 government agencies, according to outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas.
Murkowski has been highly critical of DOGE and its plans. Earlier this year, she said the purging of federal departments under DOGE is “a hit to the morale of the federal workforce.”
Murkowski’s latest remarks were first reported by the Anchorage Daily News earlier this week, but have since gone viral.
In response to Murkowski’s comments, White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said in a statement: “President Trump’s only retribution is success and historic achievements for the American people.”
Highly critical of DOGE, Murkowski has been praised as “courageous” for speaking openly about Trump’s policies
Image credits: Anchorage Daily News
It is not the first time the politician has voiced her concerns and criticized Trump, one of few Republicans to do so publicly.
She was one of only seven Republicans who voted to convict Trump at his second impeachment trial over the January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol attack.
Murkowski, who refused to vote for Trump last year, also opposed the appointment of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
After Trump and JD Vance got into a heated exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House in late February, she said she was sick to her stomach.
Image credits: davidaxelrod
“I am sick to my stomach as the administration appears to be walking away from our allies and embracing Putin, a threat to democracy and U.S. values around the world,” Murkowski posted on X.
Following her latest statement, many took to social media to comment.
“This is an honest, courageous and deeply disturbing admission from Sen. @lisamurkowski about the state of our politics and our country,” U.S. political consultant David Axelrod said.
Image credits: Strandjunker
One user posted: “I largely disagree with Lisa Murkowski on political issues, but getting up on stage and openly talking about her fear of Donald Trump’s revenge is incredibly brave. This nightmare will never end unless it’s increasingly publicly named. By Republicans.”