President Donald J. Trump took a victory lap Sunday after securing a major legislative breakthrough in the Senate — and he didn’t hold back celebrating the political fallout for one of the few Republicans who stood in his way.

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), one of just two GOP senators to vote against advancing Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill,” announced that he will not seek re-election in 2026 — and Trump was quick to offer his reaction.

“Great News! ‘Senator’ Thom Tillis will not be seeking reelection,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “For all cost-cutting Republicans, of which I am one, REMEMBER, you still have to get reelected. Don’t go too crazy! We will make it all up, times 10, with GROWTH, more than ever before.”

Tillis’ retirement comes on the heels of growing conservative frustration with his opposition to Trump’s sweeping legislative package, which passed its first major hurdle late Saturday in a 51-49 Senate vote. Vice President J.D. Vance cast the tie-breaking vote in an earlier procedural motion after Tillis and Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) voted against it.

Tillis justified his opposition by citing concerns over Medicaid-related tax changes in the bill, but his vote ignited swift blowback from the conservative base. Within hours, Trump labeled him a “grandstander” and announced he would begin interviewing primary challengers to replace him.

“Numerous people have come forward wanting to run in the Primary against ‘Senator Thom’ Tillis,” Trump declared on Truth Social. “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.”

While Tillis lamented the decline of bipartisanship in Washington, saying “independent thinking” was becoming rare, the message from Trump-aligned conservatives was unmistakable: stand in the way of the America First agenda, and you’ll be held accountable.

The bill itself is one of the most ambitious legislative efforts of Trump’s second term, and now heads into a 20-hour debate period before final Senate approval. The package promises aggressive cuts to bureaucracy, strategic fiscal reforms, and a reversal of what Trump has called the “Biden-era spending disaster.”

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), who flipped from ‘no’ to ‘yes’ after working closely with Trump’s economic team, called it a “necessary first step” toward restoring American solvency.

“Biden and the Democrats left behind enormous messes that we are trying to clean up – an open border, wars, and massive deficits,” Johnson said. “After working for weeks with President Trump and his highly capable economic team, I am convinced that he views this as a necessary first step and will support my efforts to help put America on a path to fiscal sustainability.”

Senate Democrats, led by Chuck Schumer (D-NY), slammed the bill as “radical,” resorting to procedural stunts to delay progress. “Senate Republicans are scrambling to pass a radical bill, released to the public in the dead of night,” Schumer claimed, ignoring the months of public debate and media attention the proposal has drawn.

Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) dismissed Schumer’s theatrics and reaffirmed his commitment to Trump’s vision.

“We will deliver on President Trump’s agenda and continue Making America Great Again!” Scott said.

Trump celebrated the Senate breakthrough as a “great victory,” praising key supporters including Johnson, Scott, Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), and Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY).

He’s now pushing to have the bill on his desk by July 4th, signaling a bold message to Americans: this Independence Day, Washington may finally be reclaiming its independence from bloated spending and unaccountable bureaucracy.