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As Republican Senator Thom Tillis prepares to leave Capitol Hill, he's dropped explosive private messages between him and President Donald Trump, shedding new light on their already tumultuous relationship.
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he → sign → relationship
Tillis and Trump have gone head to head on a majority of issues over the past several years, with their clashes becoming increasingly public as Tillis broke with the president on everything from Trump's sweeping tax-and-spending bill to tariffs and Justice Department nominations.
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Tillis → go → tariffs
Tillis sent Trump a series of blunt text messages earlier this year, accusing the president of failing and warning him that he would not tolerate what he described as Trump's 'b*******,' according to Politico Playbook.
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he → send → Playbook
The messages are featured in Tillis' forthcoming book, How to Lose Friends and Antagonize Presidents.
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messages → feature → Presidents
In one explosive message, Tillis told Trump, 'I still want to help you, but I don't take this b******* from anyone, including you Mr President.'
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I → tell → you
He went further, saying, 'I care if you fail and right now we are failing.'
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we → go → ?
Tillis then insisted that Trump had never directly threatened him with a primary challenge.
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Trump → insist → challenge
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.
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I → threaten → retirement
A text message North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis sent to President Donald Trump, featured in his new book.
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Tillis → send → book
Tillis the president he's not going to take his 'b*******' and seemingly refers to his Republican colleagues as 'cowards'
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he → go → cowards
In another text message, Tillis tells Trump if he had threatened him with a primary, he would have said 'f*** yourself,' and would have announced his retirement 'immediately'
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he → tell → retirement
Tillis' upcoming 'no BS-book,' due out October 6, he gives readers his account of a Trump world where loyalists compete to please the president, Republicans fear crossing him and MAGA's most outspoken voices can sometimes become their own worst enemies
Tillis then took a jab at fellow Republicans.
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Tillis → give → Republicans
'Save those threats and head games for cowards and fools.'
Tillis' relationship with Trump has never been entirely straightforward.
The North Carolina Republican supported several elements of Trump's agenda, particularly on immigration and border security.
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Republican → save → immigration
At the beginning of Trump's second term, Tillis said he was 'proud to support President Trump's vision.'
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he → say → vision
He also defended Trump during his criminal cases, arguing that the Manhattan prosecution was politically motivated and saying the case 'doesn't pass the smell test.'
But the relationship deteriorated as Tillis began breaking with Trump on major policy questions.
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Tillis → defend → questions
The most consequential break came in June 2025, when Tillis opposed advancing Trump's sweeping tax-and-spending legislation, citing concerns about its Medicaid provisions.
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Tillis → come → provisions
The most consequential break came in June 2025, when Tillis opposed advancing Trump's sweeping tax-and-spending legislation, citing concerns about its Medicaid provisions
In September, Tillis publicly criticized Trump's approach to China after Trump's warm reception of Chinese President Xi Jinping, describing the episode as a 'WTF moment'
Despite his fallout with Trump, Tillis has backed Republican Senate nominee Michael Whatley, the former chairman of the Republican National Committee, in the race to succeed him
Trump responded publicly, calling Tillis a 'talker and complainer, NOT A DOER!' and accusing him of 'grandstanding.'
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Trump → come → grandstanding
Trump also said he would meet with Republicans interested in challenging Tillis in a GOP primary.
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he → say → primary
The following day, Tillis announced that he would not seek reelection.
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he → announce → reelection
Trump celebrated the decision, writing that it was 'Great News!' and criticizing Republicans who opposed his legislation.
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who → celebrate → legislation
Tillis continued to break with Trump on several issues.
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Tillis → continue → issues
He warned that Trump's broad tariff policies could fuel inflation, provoke retaliation and disrupt financial markets, while expressing support for more targeted tariffs.
He also clashed with the administration over the nomination of Todd Blanche to a senior Justice Department position, joining Senator John Cornyn in holding up the nomination over concerns surrounding a proposed $1.8 billion Justice Department fund connected to a Trump-related legal settlement.
Trump responded by attacking the senators and saying their political careers had been ended by his actions.
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careers → warn → actions
Then in September, Tillis publicly criticized Trump's approach to China after Trump's warm reception of Chinese President Xi Jinping, describing the episode as a 'WTF moment.
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Tillis → criticize → moment
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Tillis also called Trump's endorsement of Ken Paxton over incumbent Texas Senator John Cornyn a 'colossal mistake.'
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Tillis → call → Cornyn
As Tillis prepares to leave the Senate, in his upcoming 'no BS-book,' due out October 6, he gives readers his account of a Trump world where loyalists compete to please the president, Republicans fear crossing him and MAGA's most outspoken voices can sometimes become their own worst enemies.
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voices → prepare → him
Despite his fallout with Trump, Tillis has backed Republican Senate nominee Michael Whatley, the former chairman of the Republican National Committee, in the race to succeed him, saying he is 'happy to endorse' Whatley and willing to help if called upon.
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he → back → Whatley
An Elon University poll released September 10 shows former Democratic Governor Roy Cooper leading Whatley 49 percent to 38 percent among likely voters in North Carolina's Senate race.
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Cooper → release → race
The Daily Mail reached out to the White House and Tillis for comment.
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Mail → reach → comment
The Aporia
