Deb Haaland, former U.S. Secretary of the Interior and current gubernatorial candidate in New Mexico, expressed criticism toward Republican lawmakers and Steve Pearce in a series of posts on November 6, 2025.
In her first post at 00:12 UTC, Haaland wrote, "This is absurd. People need to travel for work, to care for family, and to enjoy time with friends, but Trump and MAGA Republicans would rather play politics with our freedom. Republicans need to come to negotiating table to fund healthcare and open the government."
Later that day at 00:30 UTC, she continued her criticism by stating, "The well-being of New Mexicans and folks across the country is at risk. Republicans need to do their jobs. But as gridlock continues, governors are on the front lines fighting for the people we serve. As governor, I will always fight for solutions to ensure that New Mexicans are".
At 01:29 UTC on November 6th, Haaland addressed concerns about Steve Pearce's potential leadership of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), writing "Steve Pearce is a dangerous choice to lead the BLM. In NM we value our lands and waters, and we need a manager who would be a good steward. Pearce has a record of threatening NM’s public lands, putting profits over people, and neglecting the needs of our state."
Haaland's remarks come amid ongoing federal budget disputes that have led to government shutdowns in recent years—a recurring issue when Congress fails to pass appropriations bills or continuing resolutions needed for federal agencies' operations.
Steve Pearce is a former U.S. Representative from New Mexico who has previously advocated for increased resource extraction on public lands during his tenure in Congress.
