Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) signaled Friday that she would be honored to serve in President Trump’s second administration but admitted she hasn’t been reached out to.
“I thought that there would be a position in Energy in that Department because that’s my baby is wanting energy independence for America. You know, that’s all about security and sovereignty of our nation is to be energy independent,” she said Friday in an interview with NewsNation’s Leland Vittert. “But that hasn’t happened.”
Palin, who ran for vice president alongside the late Sen. John McCain in the 2008 presidential election, argued there are “gatekeepers” in the administration — pointing to her inability to receive credentials to attend the 2024 Republican National Convention last July.
“I didn’t even get credentials to attend the GOP convention, if you can believe it. I mean, wow, they’re tight,” she said, adding, “And I’m the only living Republican nominee who had run for VP or president who supported Trump. And even I couldn’t get in.”
“So, you know, yeah, they’re pretty tight … but I’d love to serve,” the former GOP governor told NewsNation’s “On Balance” anchor.
She also warned against those within the administration criticizing the president or not implementing his goals — such as his massive immigration agenda, plans to cut down government spending and calls for tax cuts — in a timely manner, which she says could lead to early turnover.
“If things aren’t going to be smooth, if his agenda is not going to be ushered in per the vote of the people … the wishes of the people, then I think they will regroup and maybe already change some persons,” Palin said.
The former governor, who also ran an unsuccessful bid for the House in 2022, reflected on the 2008 campaign against former President Obama and then-vice presidential candidate Joe Biden.
“I knew that what I was standing for and fighting for was the right thing because I am so connected, I believe, to Joe Six-Pack,” she said, referring to the average working person. “That’s who I am, you know, just running businesses, raising families, not a professional politician, knowing that the bureaucrats in the face of politicians in D.C. do not know better than we ourselves as individuals how to run our lives.”
“So a lot of my passion for back then, you know, even while it’s going on 30 years now, when I started in local government to today’s passion, even for fighting for what is right, a lot of it has to do with my experience having served in local government, the most efficient level of government, and you are so held to account,” Palin added.
She also highlighted the usefulness of serving in lower government roles, claiming that is where she learned how important it is to be on the same page without “blind loyalty.”
“I think it bodes well for local government experience, where you are an administrator, you learn, you know, from the bottom on up how important it is to all be on the same sheet music and not to have blind loyalty where you’re going to fight for something that you just can’t believe in, but you know your boss tells you to,” the Alaska Republican told the host. “Local government experience is really valuable.”
Her remarks come as Trump continues to round out his Cabinet, with 16 nominees having been confirmed as of Saturday. Many of his other controversial picks have been advanced through committee but could still face an uphill battle on the Senate floor.
