Murkowski: Republicans quiet out of fear 'they're going to be taken down'

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) says that few Senate Republicans are willing to speak out against actions by the Trump administration and Elon Musk because most fear for their political lives.

Murkowski, one of the foremost centrists in the GOP conference, told reporters Tuesday that many of her colleagues are scared of the attacks she and others who have been willing to buck Trump and the party have faced. That is why they are unwilling to take steps that put them out of line and in the crosshairs of Trump supporters and conservatives. 

"I get criticized for what I say, and everybody else is like, 'How come nobody else is saying anything?' Well, figure it out, because they're looking at how many things are being thrown at me, and it's like, 'Maybe I should just duck and cover,’” Murkowski said during an appearance at the Alaska State Capitol in Juneau. 

“That's why you've got everybody just zip-lipped, not saying a word because they're afraid they're going to be taken down — they're going to be primaried, they're going to be given names in the media,” she continued. “We cannot be cowed into not speaking up.”

Murkowski added that she is still trying to figure out how exactly to deal with the Trump White House. She noted she has no plans to speak out against the administration “at every opportunity,” calling that approach “not constructive.” 

She added, though, that she plans to stand up and “stiffen my spine” against both sides of the aisle when needed, even if she draws the ire of Musk, who has moved to slash large swaths of agencies via the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and his financial might.

“I'm going to have to figure out where I can work with him, and I'm going to have to stiffen my spine and take the slings and arrows when people say, 'Why aren't you a better Republican? And if not, get out of the party?'” she said. “Until Alaskans tell me, ‘Lisa — it's just not working anymore,’ I am going to give you every last breath that I have, and I am going to try to solve every last little problem.” 

“I'm not going to compromise my own integrity by hiding from my words when I feel they need to be spoken. I'm going to take the criticism that comes,” Murkowski continued. “It may be that Elon Musk has decided that he's going to take the next billion dollars that he makes off of Starlink and put it directly against Lisa Murkowski, and you know what? That may happen.”

Murkowski has largely been supportive of Trump’s Cabinet and administration nominees. The lone one she voted against was Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s selection to lead the Pentagon. 

Murkowski is not up for reelection until 2028. She defeated a fellow Republican in 2022 to win a fourth term in office.