President Donald Trump reacted swiftly to the news that Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) will not seek re-election, calling it “great news” and using the moment to fire a broader warning shot at fiscally conservative Republicans who oppose his legislative priorities.
“Great News! ‘Senator’ Thom Tillis will not be seeking reelection,” Trump wrote on Truth Social Sunday night.
In a follow-up post, Trump addressed fellow Republicans who have raised concerns about the cost of his “One Big, Beautiful Bill,” saying, “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, one of just two GOP senators who voted against advancing Trump’s signature bill, announced Sunday that he would not run for a third term in 2026. His opposition stemmed primarily from proposed changes to the Medicaid provider tax rate buried within the sweeping legislation.
In his retirement statement, Tillis lamented the collapse of bipartisanship in Washington, saying, “Leaders who are willing to embrace bipartisanship, compromise, and demonstrate independent thinking are becoming an endangered species.”
Trump wasn’t buying it. On Saturday night, he blasted Tillis as a “grandstander” and promised to vet primary challengers personally, insisting that North Carolina voters deserve a senator who actually backs the America First agenda.
“Numerous people have come forward wanting to run in the Primary against ‘Senator Thom’ Tillis,” Trump posted. “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.”
Vice President JD Vance, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, and top GOP leadership had spent the weekend lobbying holdouts like Tillis and Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), who also opposed the bill. In the end, Tillis stuck to his “no” vote—and now, his Senate career is coming to a close under the pressure of a Trump-dominated GOP.