Despite sweeping promises from Republican leadership to deliver $1.5 trillion in spending cuts, Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska says she isn’t convinced. On Thursday, she told the Daily Caller News Foundation she is “not confident” that her Senate colleagues will follow through on the cost-saving goals outlined in what President Trump has dubbed his “one big, beautiful bill.”
The House had just passed a resolution, largely along party lines, to launch the budget reconciliation process, setting the stage for Trump’s ambitious legislative package. The bill is designed to carry the weight of major spending reforms—a cornerstone of Trump’s second-term economic plan. But even as momentum builds, internal doubts like Murkowski’s expose fault lines within the GOP’s governing coalition.
At a joint press conference Thursday, House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune reaffirmed their commitment to pursuing at least $1.5 trillion in cuts to federal spending. According to Thune, that target is aligned with the House’s resolution and forms the baseline for the party’s budgetary ambitions. But specifics on what will be cut—and when—remain elusive.
“We are aligned with the House… in terms of savings when the Speaker talked about $1.5 trillion,” Thune said, emphasizing that cuts would come without compromising essential programs.
Johnson added that some lawmakers are aiming even higher, determined to uncover more extensive savings.
But Murkowski remains unconvinced. Her skepticism reflects a deepening divide between conservative fiscal hawks pushing bold reform and more moderate Republicans wary of voter backlash over potential program cuts. Her position carries weight—not only as a senior senator, but as one of the few Republicans who has frequently broken ranks with the Trump administration.
🚨 Sen. Lisa Murkowski tells the Daily Caller News Foundation that she is “not confident” that the Senate GOP will agree to $1.5 trillion in cuts in the Trump-endorsed “Big, Beautiful Bill” https://t.co/oZX8NWRbrV pic.twitter.com/EXovZ931EB
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) April 10, 2025
Murkowski’s doubts aren’t happening in a vacuum. Earlier this month, she sided with Democrats and a handful of GOP senators to end President Trump’s national emergency declaration, the legal backbone for his tariff framework with Canada. She also opposed Trump’s nomination of Pete Hegseth as Defense Secretary and criticized the pardons issued to some of the January 6th Capitol rioters.
Her comments on the budget process suggest she may once again be prepared to split from the administration’s line—particularly if the proposed cuts target politically sensitive areas.
For President Trump, the $1.5 trillion in savings is more than a fiscal benchmark. It’s part of a larger campaign to restore fiscal discipline and roll back years of unchecked federal growth. His administration is promising a budget that not only cuts waste but preserves core entitlements, a balancing act that will require surgical policy precision and political unity—both of which are in short supply.
Representative Andy Ogles of Tennessee expressed optimism after receiving assurances from leadership. But even verbal commitments from Thune and Johnson haven’t fully unified the party.
