President Donald Trump threatened Saturday night to support primary challengers against Sen. Thom Tillis after the North Carolina Republican voted against advancing the president's signature legislative package, escalating a confrontation that could reshape the 2026 Senate race in a key battleground state.
Trump's threat came as Senate Republicans struggled to secure enough votes for the procedural motion on what the president calls his "Big, Beautiful Bill," a sweeping reconciliation package that includes tax cuts and spending measures.
"Numerous people have come forward wanting to run in the Primary against 'Senator Thom' Tillis," Trump wrote on Truth Social Saturday night1. "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."
Trump accused Tillis of "wanting to tell the Nation that he's giving them a 68% Tax Increase, as opposed to the Biggest Tax Cut in American History" and called the senator's position a "big mistake"12.
The confrontation unfolded as Senate Majority Leader John Thune could only afford to lose three Republican votes, with Sens. Ron Johnson and Rand Paul also expected to oppose the measure3.
Tillis told Fox News he would not support the procedural vote or the final bill, citing concerns about deep Medicaid cuts that could cost North Carolina up to $40 billion in federal funding1. The legislation includes changes to Medicaid provider tax rates that would trigger North Carolina's law ending Medicaid expansion if federal funding falls short2.
"My colleagues have done the analysis, and they're comfortable with the impact on their states," Tillis said after leaving a closed-door GOP lunch Saturday1. "It's not a good impact in my state, so I'm not going to vote on the motion to proceed."
Despite conversations with Trump, Tillis said he remained unmoved by pressure from the administration or Senate leadership1.
The clash comes as Tillis faces what analysts consider one of the most vulnerable Senate seats for Republicans in 20261. He already faces a primary challenge from Andy Nilsson, a GOP activist and retired businessman who has criticized Tillis for insufficient loyalty to Trump2.
Former North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory, a Republican, said Trump's team and Tillis had been "working together behind the scenes" but acknowledged the growing tensions3.
A recent Public Policy Polling survey showed only 40 percent of North Carolina Republican voters approve of Tillis's performance4.
"Once we do that, we've won it," Nilsson said of potentially forcing a runoff against Tillis2. "It's conservative versus chameleon."
