24 Hours After Pushing Trump Too Far, Thom Tillis Is Leaving the Senate
There was a time when the media breathlessly wondered whether President Donald J. Trump could unify the Republican Party. Now, they’re just as breathless trying to find one who will publicly defy him — and their latest would-be maverick just walked off the battlefield.
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), a longtime centrist thorn in the side of conservatives, announced late Sunday night that he will not seek a third term in the U.S. Senate. His decision comes days after he broke with President Trump by opposing the much-anticipated “Big Beautiful Bill” — not because it spent too much, but because, in his view, it didn’t spend enough. That alone separated him not only from conservatives, but even from moderates within the GOP.
Tillis’ opposition stood out like a sore thumb in a Senate Republican caucus largely united behind the president’s ambitious legislative agenda. And President Trump didn’t take it lightly. In a post on Truth Social over the weekend, Trump made it clear Tillis was on thin ice.
For a Nation That Believes, Builds, and Never Backs Down
Become a member to support our mission and access exclusive content.
View Plans“Numerous people have come forward wanting to run in the Primary against ‘Senator Thom’ Tillis,” Trump posted Saturday night. “I will be meeting with them over the coming weeks, looking for someone who will properly represent the Great People of North Carolina and, so importantly, the United States of America.”
Within 24 hours, Tillis folded. His Sunday night announcement surprised even seasoned political observers — especially considering he had just held fundraising events and raked in $2.3 million this year alone. But as usual, the MAGA base speaks louder than any donor class.
Rather than defend his record, Tillis took to the Senate floor with what The Washington Post described as “two fiery speeches” opposing Trump’s bill. In those remarks, he asked, “What do I tell 663,000 people in two years or three years when President Trump breaks his promise by pushing them off of Medicaid because the funding’s not there anymore?”
This kind of rhetoric — echoing Democrat talking points on entitlement spending — underscores why Tillis never truly resonated with the modern Republican Party. When your biggest criticism of a pro-growth, America-first spending bill is that it doesn’t expand government programs enough, you’ve clearly lost the thread.
Tillis seemed proud of that detachment. “Sometimes those bipartisan initiatives got me in trouble with my own party, but I wouldn’t have changed a single one,” he said. “In Washington over the last few years, it’s become increasingly evident that leaders who are willing to embrace bipartisanship, compromise, and demonstrate independent thinking are becoming an endangered species.”
— Senator Thom Tillis (@SenThomTillis) June 29, 2025
But let’s be clear: what passes for “bipartisanship” in D.C. often amounts to Republicans caving while Democrats shift the Overton window further left. Tillis’ idea of compromise wasn’t Reagan-style coalition-building — it was voting for policies Democrats used to pass before they embraced radical progressivism.
President Trump was blunt in his assessment, labeling Tillis a “talker and complainer,” even ranking him below Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), who at least opposed the bill on consistent libertarian grounds. Tillis, by contrast, opposed the bill simply because it didn’t grow government fast enough to satisfy Beltway priorities.
Trump’s final Truth Social one-two punch summed it up best:
Thom Tillis routinely fought to increase American intervention abroad while rejecting border security at home. He has also been a chief obstacle to the timely confirmation of President Trump’s nominees.
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) June 29, 2025
His retirement is a golden opportunity to make North Carolina’s senators… pic.twitter.com/lrFL9Vaz5E
Well well well…
— C3 (@C_3C_3) June 29, 2025
Thom Tillis voted for the Biden agenda more than almost every Republican.
40% of the time he voted with the Dems.
Thom voted for the $1 trillion money laundering “Infrastructure Bill”.
Now Tillis votes against POTUS Trump’s and MAGA agenda.
He’s got to go. pic.twitter.com/mY2bmY8wP2
“Great News! ‘Senator’ Thom Tillis will not be seeking reelection.”
“ONE GREAT BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL, is moving along nicely! MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
In his departure statement, Tillis tried to spin his exit as personal rather than political:
“The choice is between spending another six years navigating the political theatre and partisan gridlock in Washington or spending that time with the love of my life Susan, our two children, three beautiful grandchildren, and the rest of our extended family back home,” he wrote. “It’s not a hard choice, and I will not be seeking re-election.”
Of course, this version of the story glosses over some inconvenient truths. According to The Washington Post, Tillis was very much running — scheduling events and planning strategy meetings as recently as last week.
For a Nation That Believes, Builds, and Never Backs Down
Become a member to support our mission and access exclusive content.
View PlansThe real story is simpler: the MAGA movement has matured. It’s no longer willing to tolerate politicians who wear the Republican label while governing like Democrats. In the early days of Trump’s first term, establishment Republicans still held considerable sway. But today, in Trump’s second term, the base is bolder — and far less forgiving.
Tillis tried to stand in the way of the America First agenda. He didn’t just lose; he withdrew without a fight.