Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) on Sunday said Republicans no longer worried about reelection have the freedom to more openly criticize President Donald Trump and his allies.
Speaking on CNN’s State of the Union, Tillis joked that lawmakers no longer facing voters can finally drop the political “filter” that shapes many public comments.
“You know what I try to tell everybody, folks, if you’re not running for reelection, then that one filter that you need to make sure your words are measured, so that the Democrats can’t use it against you, and maybe some Republicans, you’ve just got to have that extra filter,” Tillis said.
“And I’m telling you, it’s great not having it,” he said. “So that you can get the same point across, but now you can use unambiguous words.”
Tillis then turned directly to Attorney General Ken Paxton (R-TX), delivering a sharp rebuke of the conservative firebrand and Trump ally.
“And I’m being unambiguous on Paxton,” Tillis said. “He is a failure. He doesn’t deserve to be in the U.S. Senate.”
Tillis’s comments underscore how he has become increasingly critical toward Trump and the elements of the MAGA movement since announcing he would not seek reelection in 2026. In recent months, Tillis has publicly pushed back on issues hurting Republicans politically.
Sen. Bill Cassidy has similarly sharpened his criticism of Trump and MAGA-aligned Republicans after losing support from his state GOP following his vote to convict Trump during the president’s second impeachment trial.
Cassidy recently broke with many Republicans by backing a bipartisan war powers resolution and criticizing GOP efforts surrounding an “anti-weaponization fund” backed by Trump allies.
In his CNN interview, Tillis also contrasted Paxton with Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), whom he described as one of the Senate GOP’s most effective and respected members.
“John Cornyn is one of the most powerful, one of the most influential, one of the most patriotic members I’ve had the privilege to serve with over the last 11 years,” Tillis said.
THOM TILLIS CLAPS BACK AT TRUMP OVER ‘STUPID STUFF’ HURTING GOP
Trump’s endorsement of Paxton has significantly boosted the Texas attorney general’s standing in a potential Senate primary and increased concerns among Senate Republicans that Cornyn could face some serious challenges from the right.
Trump’s backing of Paxton reportedly frustrated some GOP senators who view Cornyn as a key Republican figure.
