Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., just dropped a political bombshell, retiring in 2026 and torching a Trump-backed spending bill.
Fox News reported that his exit speech doubled as a warning shot, accusing the bill of gutting Medicaid and betraying GOP promises. Conservatives now face a loyalty test: Trump’s growth mantra or Tillis’s healthcare stand?
Tillis, a seasoned North Carolina Republican, announced his Senate departure on June 29, 2025, citing toxic polarization and family priorities.
The same day, he blasted a spending package for slashing Medicaid, particularly the provider tax, which he insists isn’t the “waste” Trump claims. His floor speech was a calculated jab at the president’s fiscal cheerleading.
Days earlier, on June 24, Tillis was spotted chatting with reporters en route to the Senate Chamber. By June 25, he grilled Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell in a committee hearing, showing no signs of slowing down. Yet, his retirement suggests a deeper frustration with Washington’s gridlock.
On June 27, Tillis was photographed at the Capitol, likely plotting his next move. He voted against advancing the spending package on June 28, a bold defiance of Trump’s agenda.
His consultations with North Carolina experts—state legislators, Gov. Josh Stein’s allies, and hospital analysts—revealed a $26 billion Medicaid funding cut.
Tillis didn’t just crunch numbers; he took his findings to Dr. Mehmet Oz, head of Medicare and Medicaid Services. “I’m telling the president that you have been misinformed,” he declared, warning Trump’s bill would hurt eligible Medicaid recipients. The senator’s data, unchallenged after three rebuttal attempts, held firm.
“After three different attempts for them to discredit our estimates, the day before yesterday they admitted that we were right,” Tillis boasted.
His swagger underscores a rare GOP rebellion against Trump’s cost-cutting zeal. Yet, he praised the bill’s work requirements, showing he’s not reflexively anti-reform.
Trump, never one for subtlety, pounced on Tillis’ retirement news on June 29. “For all cost-cutting Republicans, of which I am one, REMEMBER, you still have to get reelected,” he taunted, urging growth over cuts. The president’s glee masks a warning: dissenters risk political oblivion.
Tillis fired back, advising Trump to scout a replacement senator. “I hope that we get a good candidate that I can help,” he said, signaling he won’t fade quietly. His jab at Trump’s leadership stings, especially from a retiring senator with nothing to lose.
The senator’s critique leaned on history, referencing Obama’s broken ACA promises: “If you like your healthcare plan, you can keep it.” Tillis, who rose to power partly on that betrayal, sees Trump’s bill repeating the same mistake. His parallel is a sly dig at both presidents’ overpromising.
Tillis warned of 663,000 North Carolinians losing Medicaid if the bill passes. “So what do I tell 663,000 people in two years or three years when President Trump breaks his promise?” he asked. His question exposes the human cost of Washington’s budget games.
Despite his ire, Tillis admires parts of the bill. “I love the work requirement. I love the other reforms in this bill,” he said, praising House leadership.
But he slammed the July 4 deadline as arbitrary, urging lawmakers to fix the Medicaid cuts first. “It is inescapable that this bill in its current form will betray the very promise that Donald J. Trump made,” Tillis charged.
His accusation frames Trump as out of touch, a risky move for a GOP stalwart. Yet, his bipartisan streak—consulting Democrats and independents—lends credibility to his case.
Tillis’s exit has already sparked ambition, with a House Republican eyeing his Senate seat. Trump’s comments likely fueled the opportunist’s calculus, sensing a MAGA-friendly opening. North Carolina’s political chessboard is now in play, with 2026 looming large.
The senator’s retirement speech mourned the decline of compromise. “It’s become increasingly evident that leaders who are willing to embrace bipartisanship, compromise, and demonstrate independent thinking are becoming an endangered species,” he said. His lament rings true, but skeptics might call it a convenient exit line.
