'We Are All Afraid,' Says Republican Senator on Donald Trump

US Senator Lisa Murkowski, who is a Republican representing Alaska, expressed deep concern this week about the direction of President Trump’s second term, saying that many people — including herself — are fearful.

“We are all afraid,” Murkowski said during a conversation with nonprofit leaders in Alaska on Monday, according to a report by the Anchorage Daily News.

“It is quite a statement,” she added. “We are in a time and place where, I don't know, I certainly have not, I have not been here before,” she continued. 

The Alaska senator, who has long stood apart from her party on key issues, said she often feels “very anxious” about speaking out. “Retaliation is real,” she added.

A Longstanding Critic Within the GOP

Murkowski has frequently been at odds with the Trump administration — from opposing Cabinet picks to criticizing steep government spending cuts and aggressive tariff policies. Speaking to Laurie Wolf, CEO of the nonprofit The Foraker Group, she called the current political moment “as hard as anything I have been engaged in, in the 20-plus years I've been in the Senate.”

She specifically raised alarm about the pace and scope of budget cuts being pushed by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has targeted major reductions across federal agencies.

“It is head spinning,” she told the group. “It seems that just when you've made a little bit of progress on one issue that had caused so much anxiety, there's another one.”

Worries About Executive Power and Medicaid Cuts

Murkowski also voiced frustration with what she sees as an imbalance of power between the executive and legislative branches.

“It’s called the checks and balances. And right now, we are not balancing as the Congress,” she said.

One of her clearest red lines is on Medicaid. With Congressional Republicans preparing to push through a major reconciliation bill — a budget package that could be passed without Democratic support — Murkowski warned she would not support any measure that includes deep cuts to the health program.

“There is a growing number of Republicans, which needs to happen, who are saying ‘Medicaid is off the table,’” she said.

What’s Next

Murkowski’s comments suggest growing dissent within GOP ranks as Trump advances his second-term agenda. With Alaska being one of the states most reliant on federal employment and health programs, her stance could complicate the party’s efforts to pass major legislation without bipartisan support.