Republican NC Senator Thom Tillis to Retire After Online Takedown by Trump, Candidate Rumors Swirl – Twitchy

Republican North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis is calling it quits at the end of his term. On Sunday, he announced he’s retiring. This decision comes right after President Donald Trump ripped Tillis in a long post on his TruthSocial platform.

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🚨 BREAKING: THOM TILLIS JUST ANNOUNCED HE WILL NOT SEEK RE-ELECTION

This comes just hours after Trump EVISCERATED him.

Good riddance, loser! pic.twitter.com/WzRpGcKqdF

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) June 29, 2025

Tillis is not popular with MAGA republicans.

Here’s Trump’s full post where he went after Tillis.

HOLY SH*T 🚨 Donald Trump just ended Senator Thom Tillis’s career. Absolutely useless RINO

TIME TO VOTE TILLIS OUT pic.twitter.com/XnzEWsy5Or

— MAGA Voice (@MAGAVoice) June 29, 2025

Well well well…

Thom Tillis voted for the Biden agenda more than almost every Republican.

40% of the time he voted with the Dems.

Thom voted for the $1 trillion money laundering “Infrastructure Bill”.

Now Tillis votes against POTUS Trump’s and MAGA agenda.

He’s got to go. pic.twitter.com/mY2bmY8wP2

— C3 (@C_3C_3) June 29, 2025

Many feel that Tillis is a RINO and needs to be replaced by someone who will fully get behind Trump’s agenda.

Tillis isn’t the first Republican to succumb to Trump’s wrath.

ANOTHER ONE DOWN

Let’s GO! RINO’s on notice in 26.

🇺🇸

— Walter Curt (@WCdispatch_) June 29, 2025

We have the chance to make a LOT of good MAGA pickups in 2026.

Several in the Senate.

John Cornyn ➡️ Ken Paxton
Mitch McConnell ➡️ Nate Morris
Thom Tillis ➡️ Lara Trump (??)

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) June 29, 2025

We are getting better, getting stronger.

— Quaran-Tina (@superbucks2050) June 29, 2025

Now begins the speculation of who will replace Tillis.

Many commenters are leaning towards Lara Trump, the wife of Trump’s son, Eric Trump, to run for the seat.

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🚨 BREAKING: Lara Trump “seriously considering” a bid for the open North Carolina Senate seat in 2026 after Thom Tillis retires – NOTUS

RNC Chair Michael Whatley is also reportedly considering. pic.twitter.com/f50Xb3VAMI

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) June 29, 2025

Lara Trump in the Senate would be a huge. No more weak RINOs, just America First firepower. She’s media savvy, tough, and 100% loyal to the people. Let’s go.

— Noah Christopher (@DailyNoahNews) June 29, 2025

Lara’s got the chops for Senate, no doubt. But she’s weighing brutal DC life against being home with young kids and a great husband at a nice age. Politics will wait – childhood won’t. That’s a hell of a gamble. Tough call.

— George M. Nicholas (@GeogeM3) June 29, 2025

Whatley is a better chairman. He is needed there more. It should be Lara Trump.

— The Beacons Are Lit 🇺🇸 (@WestResists) June 29, 2025

Lara has no because of her small kids… She doesn’t wanna miss time with them…

Whatley 🙄 oh great….. @PatHarriganNC that’s who needs to run!

— D_H_C (@DGC_2020) June 29, 2025

Tillis’ term ends in January 2027. With his retirement notice dropping on Sunday, no Republican has officially declared they are running for his seat.