US Senator who opposed Trump's bill announces 'won't seek reelection' 

Republican Senator who opposed Donald Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’

US Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who opposed President Donald Trump’s tax and spending plan, announced a day after voting against the bill in the Senate that he will not seek reelection next year.

His retirement has opened up a Senate seat in North Carolina, a key swing state, giving Democrats a chance to gain ground in the 2026 midterm elections. It also makes Tillis a wildcard in the Republican Party, where few lawmakers challenge Trump’s agenda.

Trump had already threatened to support a primary challenger against Tillis. On Sunday, Trump posted that, "Great News! “Senator” Thom Tillis will not be seeking reelection."

“In Washington, it’s become clear that leaders who support bipartisanship and independent thinking are becoming rare,” Tillis said in a statement.

“I look forward to having the freedom to speak my mind and serve the people of North Carolina as best I can,” he further added.

Currently, Republicans hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate.

Trump had criticized Tillis on social media for voting on Saturday night against moving forward with the large tax bill. Trump accused him of only seeking publicity and threatened to campaign against him. He also accused Tillis of failing to help people in western North Carolina after floods from Hurricane Helene last year.

“Tillis is a talker and complainer, NOT A DOER,” Trump wrote.

Many Republican leaders were caught off guard by the timing of Tillis’s announcement, though not entirely by the decision itself. He had originally intended to disclose his future plans later in the year but was already leaning toward retirement, according to a source familiar with his thinking.

Before going public, Tillis weighed whether he could campaign independently of Trump and still secure backing from Senate Republican leadership. He concluded the answer to both was no—particularly after Trump called for a primary opponent and GOP proposals to cut Medicaid, which Tillis argued would negatively impact North Carolina.

Tillis played a key role in helping Republicans gain control of the U.S. Senate in 2014 by narrowly defeating Democratic Senator Kay Hagan. Over more than a decade in office, he advocated for causes like mental health, substance abuse recovery, Medicaid expansion, and veterans’ support.

Known as a more moderate Republican, Tillis earned a reputation for occasionally working across the aisle.

(With agency inputs)