President Trump is capping off a busy week attacking fellow Republicans with a social media post calling Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina a “nitpicker” and “quitter.”
Mr. Tillis likely drew fire from the president over his public criticism this week of the president’s Anti-Weaponization Fund, established as part of the president’s settlement with the Justice Department over his leaked tax returns lawsuit.
Mr. Trump devoted one of his signature Truth Social attacks on Friday to Mr. Tillis, whom he called an “ineffective” senator who “didn’t have the courage to fight it out in the Senate, remain in place, and run again for office.”
“I called him a ’Nitpicker,’ always fighting against the Republican Party, and ME, mostly on things that didn’t matter,” the president said. “When I told him that I would not, under any circumstances, endorse him for another run, too much work and drama (he couldn’t have won, anyway!), he immediately quit the race and publicly announced that he was going to ’retire.’”
Mr. Tillis’ retirement announcement came after he had announced his opposition to the president’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” over his concerns about the impact of Medicaid cuts on his state.
Mr. Trump said the media portrayed Mr. Tillis as brave, but it was the opposite.
“HE WAS A QUITTER!” he said. “Now he can have all the fun he wants for a few months, with some of his RINO friends, screwing the Republican Party. In the end it will only get bigger, and better, and stronger, than ever before!!!”
Mr. Tillis shot back in his own social media post.
“Mr. President, completely agree about having a lot of fun over these next seven months,” he said. “But nitpicking?”
The senator then listed proposals that Mr. Trump’s advisors were telling him to support, such as the $1.8 billion Anti-Weaponization Fund that could “compensate convicted felons and thugs who attacked police” – a reference to Jan. 6 rioters.
Mr. Tillis criticized the president for pushing 50-year mortgages and a housing bill crafted in part by Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren “over sound conservative housing policy,” as well as “using taxpayer money to transform publicly traded companies into state-owned enterprises.”
He also slammed the president for taking a soft approach to Russia President Vladimir Putin in the war against Ukraine, and said he should not be allowing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to fire “our very best generals.”
“If opposing these things makes me a RINO [Republican In Name Only], then I gladly accept that nickname,” Mr. Tillis said. “We need Republicans to do well in November, but the stupid stuff is killing our chances!”
Mr. Tillis seems to be blaming the president’s advisors more than Mr. Trump himself.
In addition to Mr. Hegseth, his post named Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, U.S. Federal Housing Director William J. Pulte and U.S. Pardon Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. as some of the people giving Mr. Trump bad advice.
Mr. Tillis expressed similar frustration in an interview with Politico published Friday. The senator said he has not talked to Mr. Trump in a week or two but they maintain “solid communications.”
“I’ve made it clear to the president that my beef is with people who are giving him some sense that some of the decisions he makes are not without significant consequence,” he said. “And the consequence, in my opinion, is his legacy, and our election in November in reverse order.”
Mr. Tillis said every time he has opposed Mr. Trump has been out of concern about Republicans’ electability, and that the president seems to respect his courage to raise those issues with him.
“Other people may have a different way to engage him, but I’m not going to kiss this man’s a— or anybody else’s when I believe he’s not in a good place,” he said.
