Washington — Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski from Alaska called on her congressional colleagues on Wednesday to reaffirm their constitutional powers and challenge President Trump if he decides to withhold funds that have been authorized by lawmakers, particularly in light of his mass firings of federal employees or drastic cuts to federal agencies.
“If the president attempts to withhold federal funding that has already been authorized and appropriated, that would violate the Budget Act and the Impoundment Act, and it must not be tolerated. If we in Congress permit this, we are effectively surrendering a portion of our authority. So, your question of what we ought to do about it? We must take a stand,” she stated during a virtual town hall with her constituents.
“However, the ‘we’ cannot just be myself. This is where it becomes a challenge, but it necessitates speaking out. It requires us to assert, ‘That is against the law. That undermines the executive’s authority,'” she added.
The Alaskan Republican emphasized that Congress has a “duty to uphold the Constitution,” which entails “speaking out and standing firm, and this involves more than just a couple of Republicans — it demands collective action from Congress.”
Murkowski, a moderate Republican serving in the Senate since 2002, was reelected despite her long-standing disagreements with Mr. Trump. She mentioned that over 1,000 people joined the call, all of whom expressed concern about the Trump administration’s budget cuts, spearheaded by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. Alaska has one of the highest ratios of federal government workers per capita outside of the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area.
Thus far, most Republican lawmakers have shown little willingness to oppose the Trump administration as it attempts to diminish agencies that were established and funded by Congress.
Regarding the conflict in Ukraine, Murkowski noted that “we were all more than a little surprised” by what she described as a “radical shift” in the president’s stance on the war and Russia. This week, Mr. Trump labeled Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a “dictator” and inaccurately held Ukraine accountable for Russia’s invasion, while his senior aides met with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia about the ongoing conflict without involving Ukrainian representatives.
Murkowski remarked that she found Mr. Trump’s remarks about Zelenskyy to be “inappropriate and regrettable.”
“It is incorrect to imply that Ukraine instigated this war or desired it. It is evident to everyone that Putin invaded Ukraine and initiated the conflict,” Murkowski asserted.
Mr. Trump has repeatedly claimed that Russia seeks to end the war, conveniently omitting the fact that Russia initiated the conflict and could cease hostilities at any point by withdrawing its troops from Ukraine. When asked if he trusts Russia to engage in genuine negotiations to end the war, the president affirmed his trust.
“I do, I believe the Russians want to see the war conclude,” the president said. “And I genuinely believe that. However, I think they are in a strong position because, you know, they have secured a lot of territory, so they hold the cards.”
A small group of other Republicans have voiced their discontent with Mr. Trump’s position on Russia and Ukraine, though they have not openly opposed the president.
“Russia is the aggressor here,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune commented on Wednesday.
“Putin initiated this war,” Republican Representative Don Bacon stated on X Wednesday. “Putin has committed war crimes. He is a dictator responsible for murdering his opponents. The EU countries have contributed more to Ukraine’s support. Zelenskyy maintains a popularity of over 50%. Ukraine seeks to join the West, while Putin resents the West. I refuse to accept George Orwell’s doublethink.”
In a separate conversation with CBS News at the Capitol earlier on Wednesday, Murkowski shared that she has been receiving numerous calls from constituents, including federal employees who have served for many years. She recounted hearing from one woman, a former employee of hers who accepted a position at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. After receiving a promotion, the woman was classified as a probationary employee and subsequently terminated. Murkowski explained that this left the woman with a “black mark” on her employment record.
“She was terminated without any chance to appeal, without any time to even process it,” Murkowski detailed. “You receive a notice on Friday stating you’re dismissed. To me, that doesn’t illustrate much due process, and even more critically, it shows a lack of respect for those who have dedicated their careers as federal servants.”
