Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina announced his retirement from the Senate on June 29, 2025, one day after facing severe criticism from President Donald Trump for opposing the administration’s sweeping domestic policy legislation dubbed the “big, beautiful bill.” The surprise decision immediately transformed what was already expected to be a competitive 2026 race into a wide-open contest in the crucial battleground state.
Tillis was one of only two Republicans, along with Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, to vote against advancing the massive domestic policy package on June 28. The North Carolina senator expressed concerns about proposed Medicaid cuts that would result in tens of billions in lost funding for his state, including hospitals and rural communities.
Hours after the vote, Trump launched a series of attacks on social media, declaring that Tillis was “making a BIG MISTAKE for America, and the Wonderful People of North Carolina.” The President threatened to meet with potential primary challengers to the senator over the coming weeks, posting on Truth Social that numerous people had already come forward wanting to run against Tillis in a Republican primary.
Tillis told reporters on June 29 that he had informed Trump via text message Saturday night about his decision not to seek re-election, before the president’s critical posts appeared online. Tillis indicated that he “left assuming that we had a meeting of the minds, and then that didn’t turn out so.”
In a lengthy statement announcing his retirement, the 64-year-old senator said the choice between spending another six years navigating political theater and partisan gridlock in Washington versus spending time with his family was not difficult. He compared himself to former Democratic Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema, who became independents after facing criticism for their independent positions.
During a Senate floor speech on June 30, Tillis delivered what observers described as a “fiery” and “savage” denunciation of the legislation. He argued that the bill would betray Trump’s campaign promise not to cut Medicaid, stating: “It is inescapable this bill will betray the promise Donald Trump made.” Tillis blamed “amateurs” advising the president who lacked insight into how provider tax cuts would affect Medicare beneficiaries.
The senator’s office published an analysis concluding that the Senate budget would have a $32 billion impact on the North Carolina healthcare system and threaten insurance coverage for 663,000 Medicaid expansion beneficiaries in the state. Tillis warned that the legislation would push people off Medicaid when funding disappeared in two or three years, breaking the president’s promise to voters.
Trump responded to Tillis’ retirement announcement by calling it “Great News” on social media Sunday. The president had previously posted that “Tillis is a talker and complainer, NOT A DOER” and compared him unfavorably to Senator Rand Paul.
The retirement immediately scrambled Republican plans for defending the seat in 2026. All eyes turned to Lara Trump, the president’s daughter-in-law and former Republican National Committee co-chair, as a potential candidate. Trump told reporters on July 2 that Lara Trump “would always be my first choice” to run for Senate in North Carolina, her home state.
Other potential Republican candidates include current RNC Chairman Michael Whatley, the former North Carolina GOP chairman, and Representative Pat Harrigan, who posted on social media that he would back Lara Trump if she runs. Representative Greg Murphy told reporters he was also considering a Senate run but remained focused on passing the president’s domestic policy bill.
Democrats expressed optimism about their chances in the now-open seat. Former Representative Wiley Nickel is already in the race, while party leaders hope to recruit former Governor Roy Cooper to enter the contest. Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spokesperson Maeve Coyle said Tillis’ decision represented “another blow to Republicans’ chances as they face a midterm backlash.”
In recent interviews, Tillis continued his criticism of the Trump administration, telling CNN that he warned the president the healthcare cuts could become “his Obamacare” politically. He also criticized Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as being “out of his depth” and called the decision to halt weapons shipments to Ukraine “amateurish.”
Tillis built a reputation as one of the few Republicans willing to oppose Trump’s policies, having previously voted against controversial nominees and criticized the administration’s approach to various issues. His retirement removes a key Republican voice of dissent from the Senate at a time when the party holds a narrow 53-47 majority.
The North Carolina race becomes crucial for both parties’ Senate strategies in 2026. Democrats need to net four seats to win the majority, making the open seat in the battleground state a top priority. Republicans, meanwhile, must defend what was expected to be a competitive race for Tillis without an incumbent and potentially with a divisive primary.