As Republican Sen. Thom Tillis prepares to depart Capitol Hill, he is revealing a series of explosive private exchanges with President Donald Trump that offer fresh insight into their increasingly strained relationship.
The North Carolina senator and Trump have clashed repeatedly in recent years. Their disagreements became more visible as Tillis challenged the president over his sweeping tax-and-spending package, tariff policy and nominees for the Justice Department.
Earlier this year, Tillis sent Trump a series of unusually blunt text messages, accusing the president of failing and warning that he would not put up with what he called Trump’s “b*******,” according to Politico Playbook.
The exchanges appear in Tillis’ forthcoming book, How to Lose Friends and Antagonize Presidents.
In one message, Tillis wrote to Trump: “I still want to help you, but I don’t take this b******* from anyone, including you Mr President.”
He added: “I care if you fail and right now we are failing.”
Tillis also emphasized that Trump had never personally threatened him with a primary 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.”
A text message North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis sent to President Donald Trump appears in Tillis’ new book. The senator tells the president he will not tolerate his “b*******” and appears to refer to some of his Republican colleagues as “cowards.”
In another message, Tillis tells Trump that a direct primary threat would have prompted him to say “f*** yourself” and announce his retirement “immediately.”
In his upcoming “no BS-book,” due out October 6, Tillis offers his account of a Trump-dominated political world in which loyalists compete for the president’s approval, Republicans worry about crossing him and some of MAGA’s loudest figures can become their own biggest liabilities.
Tillis also took aim at fellow Republicans.
“Save those threats and head games for cowards and fools.”
The senator’s relationship with Trump has long been complicated rather than uniformly hostile.
The North Carolina Republican backed several parts of Trump’s agenda, especially his positions on immigration and border security.
At the start of Trump’s second term, Tillis said he was “proud to support President Trump’s vision.”
He also defended Trump during the former president’s criminal cases, arguing that the Manhattan prosecution was politically motivated and saying it “doesn’t pass the smell test.”
The alliance began to erode, however, as Tillis increasingly diverged from Trump on major policy issues.
Their most significant break came in June 2025, when Tillis opposed moving forward with Trump’s sweeping tax-and-spending bill. He cited particular concerns about the legislation’s Medicaid provisions.
The most consequential rupture came in June 2025, when Tillis opposed advancing Trump’s sweeping tax-and-spending legislation because of concerns over 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.’
Trump also said he would meet with Republicans interested in challenging Tillis in a GOP primary.
The following day, Tillis announced that he would not seek reelection.
Trump celebrated the decision, writing that it was ‘Great News!’ and criticizing Republicans who opposed his legislation.
Tillis continued to break with Trump on several 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.
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.’
Tillis also called Trump’s endorsement of Ken Paxton over incumbent Texas Senator John Cornyn a ‘colossal mistake.’
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.
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.
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.
Our News Outlet reached out to the White House and Tillis for comment.
