Senator Tillis Retires After Opposing Trump’s Medicaid Cuts in GOP Bill

Senator Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) announced he will not seek reelection after voting against advancing President Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill," citing concerns over Medicaid cuts that would negatively impact 663,000 North Carolinians. Tillis delivered a fiery speech denouncing the bill for breaking Trump's promise on Medicaid funding and criticized the White House advisors for underestimating its effects. The Senate Parliamentarian also struck down a Tillis-backed provision to tax litigation finance proceeds, indicating the GOP will likely remove it from the bill. President Trump strongly opposed Tillis's stance, attacking him on social media and threatening to back a primary challenger, which Tillis said influenced his decision not to run again. While Sen. Jim Banks criticized Tillis for opposing the bill, other Republicans like Mitch McConnell praised Tillis's service, calling his retirement a setback for the Senate GOP. The ongoing legislative process features intense negotiations and amendments as Republicans push toward a final vote on the bill.