BREAKING: Sen Thom Tillis will not seek re-election after Trump primary threat

Sen. Thom Tillis announced Sunday that he will not seek reelection in 2026, just one day after President Donald Trump publicly stated he would potentially back a primary challenger against him.
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Trump spoke out against Tillis on Saturday in a series of Truth Social posts after the senator voted against advancing the Big, Beautiful Bill. Trump accused Tillis of making a "big mistake" and said he was “looking for someone who will properly represent the Great People of North Carolina.”

Tillis, a two-term senator, did not directly address Trump in his retirement statement.

"As many people have noticed over the last several months, I haven’t exactly been excited about running for another term. That is true since the choice is between spending six years navigating the dysfunction of Washington or spending that time with the love of my life Susan, our two children, three beautiful grandchildren, and the rest of our extended family back home in North Carolina, and I will not be seeking re-election," a section of the statement reads.

"I still look forward to continuing to serve North Carolina over the next 18 months. I look forward to solely focusing on producing meaningful results without the distraction of raising money or ever campaigning for another election. I look forward to having the pure freedom to call the balls and strikes as I see fit and representing the great people of North Carolina to the best of my ability."

Tillis had voiced his concerns about the legislation’s potential effects on Medicaid in North Carolina, saying Saturday that he couldn’t support the bill without changes. While Trump didn’t reference Medicaid in his Truth posts, he did allude to Tillis' earlier hesitation over eliminating certain clean-energy tax incentives, which have become a GOP target.

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