Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) has expressed concern about the mass firings being carried out under the Trump administration’s initiative to reduce the size of the federal government. While she supports efforts to downsize the federal bureaucracy and increase efficiency, Murkowski believes the current approach, which involves widespread layoffs, is causing more harm than good.
According to the senator, “dozens” of Alaskans—potentially over 100—have been laid off due to the reduction-in-force orders, a move that she warns could have serious repercussions. In her view, these firings will not only affect Alaskans but also damage the country’s ability to respond to natural disasters and hinder energy development projects. Murkowski stressed that abrupt terminations could leave gaps in vital services and stifle Alaska’s ability to responsibly develop its energy and mineral resources.
As she pointed out in a post on social media, “We can’t achieve our full potential for responsible energy development if we can’t even permit projects.” She also raised alarms about how the firings could undermine disaster preparedness, particularly in managing wildfires during the summer months. Moreover, Murkowski highlighted the potential negative impact on Alaska’s tourism industry if national parks and forests, which are essential to the state’s economy, are not properly maintained.
The push to reduce government size, spearheaded by President Trump and supported by figures like tech mogul Elon Musk, has involved extensive layoffs across various federal agencies, with the goal of trimming excess personnel and cutting costs. The Office of Personnel Management has directed agencies to terminate workers who are still in their probationary period, with many departments already seeing significant staff reductions. For instance, the Department of Veterans Affairs has let go of 1,000 employees, while the Department of the Interior fired 2,300, and the Department of Health and Human Services is planning to dismiss 5,200 workers.
While the intent behind these cuts is to make the federal government more efficient, Murkowski believes this approach is backfiring. “Indiscriminate workforce cuts aren’t efficient and won’t fix the federal budget,” she said. “They will hurt good people who have answered the call to public service.” The senator is working closely with department officials to better understand the full impact of these layoffs, and she is committed to protecting the interests of Alaskans and the state’s federal priorities.
In her view, the rapid pace of layoffs has created unnecessary confusion, stress, and uncertainty for federal employees, many of whom have uprooted their lives to serve in government positions. She argued that this approach to workforce reduction is neither practical nor effective in achieving the broader goals of government reform.
Murkowski’s position is clear: while she agrees that reducing the federal government is a necessary goal, the current method is too hasty and ultimately harms the people who serve the nation. It is vital, she argues, to balance government efficiency with the well-being of civil servants and the long-term interests of the country.