Republican senator’s angry and profanity-laced texts to Trump revealed

Republican senator’s angry and profanity-laced texts to Trump revealed Thom Tillis wrote that, if the president had threatened him, he would have promptly told him to ‘f*** yourself’ - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Already a member? Log in Senator Thom Tillis unleashed profanity-laced broadsides against President Donald Trump in a series of private messages earlier this year, according to newly released texts. In a pair of messages, the outgoing North Carolina Republican said he would not accept Trump’s “bull****” and wrote that, if the president had threatened him, he would have promptly told him to “f*** yourself.” The messages, reported Friday by Politico, are expected to appear in Tillis’ forthcoming book, How to Lose Friends and Antagonize Presidents. First elected in 2014, Tillis emerged last year as one of Trump’s most outspoken GOP critics after the two clashed over the “Big, Beautiful Bill.” Since announcing his retirement in June 2025, he has focused his criticism on a range of administration policies and officials, including the Iran war and former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. “I still want to help but I don’t take this bull**** from anyone, including you Mr. President,” the North Carolina senator wrote to Trump in a May 22 text. “Save that s*** for the cowards who don’t care if you fail. I care if you fail and right now we are failing.” Trump had publicly attacked Tillis on Truth Social that same day, calling him a “nitpicker” who was “always fighting against the Republican Party.” Tillis sent the president a longer message June 6. “As I have said before, you NEVER threatened me with a primary challenge,” he wrote, according to Politico. “I get that you may have me confused with so many Republicans that you have threatened in the past, but NEVER me.” “If you had ever threatened me directly with a primary, I would have immediately told you to f*** yourself, and I would have announced my retirement immediately,” he continued. “Save those threats and head games for cowards and fools.” A day earlier, Trump had criticized Tillis publicly after the senator said he would oppose Todd Blanche’s nomination for attorney general unless Blanche condemned the January 6 rioters. “Senator Tillis is a loser,” Trump told a reporter when asked about the senator’s opposition to Blanche. “That’s why he didn’t run. He didn’t run because I wouldn’t support him. And he’s just an angry man because he’s not gonna be a senator any longer.” Tillis announced June 29, 2025, that he would not seek reelection in North Carolina. The surprise decision came hours after Trump said he would seek primary challengers to Tillis following the senator’s vote against advancing the “Big, Beautiful Bill” in the Senate. Tillis has since emerged as one of the administration’s most outspoken Republican critics. In March, he assailed then-DHS chief Kristi Noem over her handling of Trump’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota, calling it a “disaster.” In September, Tillis rebuked the president’s handling of the war in Iran: “We don’t know how long it’s going to go,” he said. “So we’re afraid it could be a forever war. It’s a war that’s obviously hurting people economically. Why are we doing this? What is the goal?” The same month, he blasted Donald Trump Jr. as “stupid on stilts” after it emerged that his wedding party was bankrolled by a Russian oligarch. Tillis’ Senate term ends in January 2027. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments