North Carolina Republican Senator Thom Tillis has launched a scathing attack on President Donald Trump’s advisers, expressing concern that poor counsel from White House staff could damage Trump’s presidential legacy. The criticism comes as Tillis announced his decision not to seek reelection in 2026, citing frustration with what he describes as “amateurish” advice influencing the President.
During a Wednesday interview with Charlotte’s WBT News Talk, Tillis stated: “Frankly, on the current path, with some of the advice he’s getting from unelecteds in the White House, I’m concerned that he’s not going to have much of a legacy if we don’t start standing up to them, and standing up to what I consider to be bad advice.”
The Senator’s comments reflect his opposition to Trump’s signature “Big, Beautiful Bill,” which Tillis argues will force North Carolina to remove 663,000 people from Medicaid coverage. He warned that once Americans feel the effects of such policies, it could damage not only Trump but the entire Republican Party.
Tillis told Semafor on Tuesday that Trump’s criticism of him on social media after he privately shared concerns about the legislation was a breaking point. The Senator indicated this public attack made him decide he was finished with what he characterized as inappropriate behavior from the administration. He explained to the outlet that someone poorly advised Trump to make the social media post, believing it would influence him negatively.
The North Carolina Senator also criticized Trump’s tariff policies, calling them ineffective and describing them as an objective failure. He told Semafor that these policies represent another example of the President accepting poor guidance from his advisers.
Tillis indicated he tends to mirror the behavior of others, suggesting that if Trump chooses to antagonize him, he will respond in kind. He warned that if the President were to attack him in the manner he treated former Senator Mitt Romney, people could only hope he would respond as diplomatically as Romney did, though he made clear he does not intend to ignore such confrontations.
The Senator’s retirement announcement came after the Senate advanced Trump’s domestic policy package in a dramatic 51-49 vote on June 28. Tillis joined Kentucky Senator Rand Paul and all Democrats in opposing the legislation. The vote was delayed for hours as Republican leadership worked to resolve internal disputes among party members.
Following Tillis’ opposition vote, Trump attacked him on Truth Social, indicating plans to meet with potential primary challengers for the Senator’s seat. Trump wrote that Tillis was making a significant mistake for America and the people of North Carolina.
Republican senators expressed disappointment over Trump’s treatment of Tillis, with one anonymous GOP senator describing the President’s social media attack as completely unnecessary. The lawmaker noted that Tillis had been in regular communication with both Trump and Senate leadership about his concerns regarding the legislation.
A Senate Republican strategist indicated that GOP senators are troubled by Trump’s decision to publicly criticize a vulnerable Republican incumbent over a policy disagreement, particularly given Tillis’ previous loyalty in confirming key Cabinet members and supporting Trump’s first-term agenda.
In his retirement statement released Sunday, Tillis reflected on the current state of American politics, noting that leaders willing to embrace bipartisanship and independent thinking have become increasingly rare in Washington. He acknowledged that some bipartisan initiatives caused him trouble within his own party but indicated he would not change any of his decisions.
The Congressional Budget Office published analysis on Sunday morning showing the Senate bill would increase the national debt by $3.3 trillion over ten years. The analysis projected that 11.8 million people would lose health insurance by 2034 if the legislation is enacted, while revenues would fall by approximately $4.5 trillion.
Several potential candidates have emerged to fill Tillis’ Senate seat in 2026, including Trump’s daughter-in-law Lara Trump, Representative Richard Hudson, former Representative Patrick McHenry, RNC Chair Michael Whatley, Representative Pat Harrigan, and Representative Addison McDowell. A Victory Insights poll from November 2024 showed Lara Trump leading Tillis 65 percent to 11 percent in a hypothetical primary matchup.
