By SUZANNE DOWNING
Feb. 25,2026 – Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy returned to the state Wednesday night after attending President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address in Washington, D.C., where he had a front-row balcony seat overlooking the House chamber.
From that vantage point, Dunleavy said he witnessed what he described as a stark contrast between Republicans and Democrats during the president’s speech, particularly in moments honoring victims of crime and members of the military.
“Trump inherited a nation in crisis, with horrendous military recruitment, wars, chaos, border incursions, inflation,” Dunleavy said. “His message was we have achieved a transformation like no one has ever seen before.”
But it was the reaction of Democrats in the chamber that left the strongest impression on him.
“The Democrats in the room — they would not stand for the girl murdered in Charlotte. They would not stand to support law-abiding Americans,” Dunleavy said. He added that Reps. Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib “would not stand at all, not for a thing. They heckled.”
“I try to give people the benefit of the doubt and let things roll off,” he continued. “But there is nothing they could say that explains or justifies that. They can say, ‘We hate Trump,’ but they won’t stand to honor the pilot who got shot in the legs, or for the girl who was murdered? They would not stand for anything.”
Dunleavy said the dynamic was more noticeable in person than on television.
“That struck me … that they either have hatred for Trump so great that it blocks their sanity, or they just don’t care about stuff we care about,” he said. “You saw it more when you were there in person.”
Although the address ran long, Dunleavy said it did not feel that way from the gallery.
“It was a long speech, but it didn’t seem long,” he said, describing it as centered on “America’s greatness.”
“Don’t believe that a president can’t do anything. Policies matter. Policies and execution matter. You can turn a ship of this size through policy and execution,” he said.
Dunleavy pointed to border enforcement as an example.
“President Biden said there was no law to follow so he couldn’t do anything. Trump is now in office and the illegals are actually leaving. He just follows the law,” Dunleavy said. “He is a force of nature. When he says he is going to do something, he does it. The stuff he is doing is going to make the country better.
“I don’t know how Democrats can say illegals by the millions make the country better,” he added.
Longest State of the Union in history: Trump highlights immigration crackdown, draws Democrat heckles
Asked whether he was surprised that Alaska was not mentioned in the address, Dunleavy said he was not.
He knew this speech was going to be about heroism and patriotism, he said, noting it had little focus on energy policy.
He said the president has already delivered significant results for Alaska.
“Alaska has gotten more from this guy in his one year and in his four other years than anyone,” Dunleavy said.
Breaking: Interior Secretary Doug Burgum transfers 2.1 million acres to Alaska in major statehood win
He pointed to a recent federal land transfer to the state and a newly announced shared stewardship agreement with the U.S. Forest Service that allows Alaska access to up to 300,000 acres of Tongass land for the next 20 to 40 years, including areas with mineral and hydropower potential.
Gov. Dunleavy signs agreement to boost young-growth timber, reforestation in Tongass
“The president is not backing off on Alaska,” Dunleavy said. “It’s just that this speech was about bigger national issues.”
He noted that during a recent anniversary address, Trump specifically referenced Alaska and the state’s long-discussed natural gas pipeline project.
From his balcony seat, Dunleavy said the overall tone of the evening was clear.
“It was a stark contrast,” he said. “People may not like how he handles things. But he gets things done.”
