Murkowski Releases Joint Statement

Well, well, well—another day, another moment of Republican Alaskans collectively smacking their foreheads over Lisa Murkowski.

It’s practically a pastime at this point. After all, Murkowski has made quite the career of being the most perplexing Republican in the Senate—if you can even call her that with a straight face. Handed her Senate seat like a family heirloom thanks to her dad, she’s got political survival instincts, sure, but every so often, she likes to remind everyone why she’s the GOP’s least favorite “Republican” senator.

And here we go again. This time, she’s not just opposing President Trump for the millionth time—no, she’s taken it a step further. Now she’s teaming up with Danish officials to scold the U.S. on Greenland of all things. Because apparently, when President Trump floated the idea of purchasing Greenland—a move that, strategically speaking, made a lot of sense—Murkowski felt compelled to jump into the conversation uninvited.

In a joint statement with Aaja Chemnitz, a Danish parliament member representing Greenland, Murkowski declared that Greenland “is not for sale” and that “the future will be defined by partnership, not ownership.” Well, thank you, Senator, for stating the obvious, but no one was expecting Denmark to put a “For Sale” sign on Greenland’s ice sheets overnight. And frankly, if Trump’s history in deal-making is any indication, his proposal was likely the opening move in a broader strategy. Maybe he was angling for expanded military access or exclusive mineral rights, but Murkowski, in her infinite wisdom, just had to butt in and virtue signal.

Now, beyond the usual Murkowski grandstanding, there’s a little wrinkle in this whole thing—one that might just put her in a legal gray area. Ever heard of the Logan Act? Passed in 1799, this law prohibits unauthorized citizens from negotiating with foreign governments. And guess what? Issuing a joint statement with foreign officials about U.S. policy sure smells a lot like “correspondence or intercourse” with a foreign government. The Logan Act has only been enforced twice in history, but technically, Murkowski could be in violation here. Will the Justice Department suddenly remember that this law exists and go after her? Not likely. But it does highlight just how reckless she is when it comes to undercutting U.S. policy—especially when Trump is involved.

And let’s be honest, Murkowski isn’t exactly a stranger to undermining her own party. Whether it was torpedoing Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation process, dragging her feet on conservative judicial nominations, or gleefully opposing Trump’s cabinet picks, she’s made a career out of playing for Team Murkowski while cashing in on the GOP brand. If she had a political slogan, it would be something like: “Republican When Convenient.”

What’s most baffling about Murkowski is that she keeps getting away with it. She survives politically thanks to a bizarre coalition of old-school establishment Republicans and left-leaning voters in Anchorage and Juneau who enjoy keeping a “moderate” Republican around to gum up the works. But here’s the thing—by 2028, when she’s up for reelection, that balancing act may not work so well anymore. The Republican base is getting increasingly tired of her antics, and the Democrats she’s been trying to please? They’ll throw her under the bus the second a real left-wing candidate becomes viable.

For now, Murkowski’s statement on Greenland is just another reminder of what we already knew—she’s more concerned with being liked by international elites than actually standing up for American interests. But let’s be clear: the Trump administration isn’t going to lose any sleep over what she thinks. The Senate has no role in this issue unless an actual treaty ever comes up for a vote. So, while Murkowski may enjoy lecturing from her self-appointed moral high ground, the reality is simple—her opinion on Greenland is about as relevant as a snowblower in Miami.