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.”
There is not one other state with the oil gas and mineral wealth we have.
Deepstate Dan is producing for his Military Industrial Complex sponsors!! Russia has 1950’s vintage bombers and China sends five trawlers and Ol’ Deepstate Dan wants 40 new Coast Guard boats and a new naval base at Adak. Seems like there isn’t a county he wouldn’t like to bankrupt.
Russia doesn’t need Alaska… They have all of Siberia with at least two LNG plants that can produce Trillions of gallons of fuel a year… Their primary customer is China who is more of a threat to Alaska because they are the ones that are after resources like fishing… Just take a look at what goes on in the South China Sea if anyone gets to close to them… ***
Did Sullivan continue to excoriate Biden over his weak support of Ukraine?
Senator Dan Sullivan must be polling really well in his 2026 re-election bid for the US Senate race. How do I know? Easy . Sometimes writer and always insanely grouchy Dermot Cole up in Fairbanks wrote one of his usual alcohol-fueled critiques about Dan during Putin’s visit to JBER. Cole, who has had a severe case of TDS long before TDS was even coined as a psychiatric disorder, can’t stop his narcissistic running off of the keyboard when ever a conservative has a breakout moment with the public. Coke has so much hate on his veins for Republicans and conservatives it’s a wonder that there is any available space left for liquid spirits to be squeezed through those aging and constricted vessels. Cole is one nasty fella. His journalism is about 9th grade at best, with such predictable left-wing propaganda that it’s hard to believe his most die-hard followers could spare a few contributory dimes for the next raging column. Cole would be better off just spending the rest of his days sitting on the cemetery park bench waiting for next year’s daisies to be pushed up through the soil. His small gang of disciples, all in their December years of life, have zero energy to think for themselves. They need Cole for affirmation that life really is one miserable stinking ride to the next sewage pit.
Let’s see how Senator Sullivan votes in September when congress reconvenes and the government obfuscation concerning the Epstein files rises again front and center. Oh but that continuing resolution is far more important, isn’t it? Watch the major news outlets bury this travesty once again. Will he support justice for the thousands of victims or will he vote to aid in the further protection of the
“elites” who molested kids? I’m praying for decent representation and justice for the victims.