US Sen. Dan Sullivan used his appearance Sunday on CBS’s Face the Nation to highlight Alaska’s importance in both America’s energy future and its national defense posture amid rising tensions with Russia and China.
Sullivan, interviewed in Anchorage by Margaret Brennan, pointed to last week’s summit in Anchorage between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin as a reminder of Alaska’s strategic location at the crossroads of the Arctic and the North Pacific. He described the state as “a flash point” of great power competition, citing joint Russian and Chinese military operations near Alaska’s airspace and waters that he called unprecedented.
Even as he was speaking, the Coast Guard was tracking five Chinese “research” ships in the US Arctic waters.
Face the Nation is one of the most coveted spots on national television and Sullivan has been a guest on the CBS Sunday morning political interview program multiple times.
The senator keyed in on provisions in the recently signed One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which he said represents historic investments in US military and Arctic readiness. The measure directs nearly $26 billion to the Coast Guard, funding 16 new icebreakers, 22 cutters, and additional helicopters and infrastructure, much of it destined for Alaska. He said the bill also advances missile defense through Trump’s “Golden Dome” initiative, a layered system intended to counter ballistic missiles, hypersonics, drones, and other emerging threats.
“Alaska exudes military might,” Sullivan said, noting the state now hosts more than 100 fifth-generation fighter jets, a new Army airborne division (the 11th), and the cornerstone facilities of the nation’s missile defense system.
On energy, Sullivan drew a sharp contrast between the Trump and Biden administrations. He explained how Biden’s policies sanctioned Alaska by restricting development on federal lands, while Trump reversed those restrictions on his first day back in office. Sullivan said the result has been a resurgence in Alaska’s resource economy without compromising environmental standards.
“Alaska has an incredible record of being able to develop our resources and protect the environment,” he said, adding that development projects bring jobs and improved life expectancy in rural communities. He criticized Biden’s decision to lock up the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, saying Native communities opposed the move.
Sullivan also dismissed reports suggesting potential Russian investment in Alaska’s natural resources. “We have plenty of American investors and allies who want to invest,” he said, stressing that Russia remains a competitor in energy and minerals.
The senator, a retired Marine, urged continued growth in defense spending, saying the US must keep military investments above three percent of GDP as global threats intensify.
“Alaska is already becoming a flash point,” Sullivan said. “We need to do more to ensure America’s Arctic advantage is never compromised.”