‘Big Mistake’: Trump Blasts GOP Senator For Voting No On BBB, Threatens Primary Challenge

President Donald Trump took aim at Republican North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis in social media posts Saturday for voting no on the “Big, Beautiful Bill (BBB).”

“Looks like Senator Thom Tillis, as usual, wants to tell the Nation that he’s giving them a 68% Tax Increase, as opposed to the Biggest Tax Cut in American History! At the same time, he is unable to understand the importance of a Debt Extension, which Republicans gave to the Democrats just prior to the November 5th Election, because of its significance, and how important it was for the future of the U.S.A. Sadly, the Democrat Politicians probably won’t reciprocate on a Debt Extension because they’re nasty people who actually hate our Country,” Trump said in a post to Truth Social Saturday.

“He loves China made windmills that will cost a fortune, ruin the landscape, and produce the most expensive Energy on Earth. I can’t believe that the Great People of North Carolina, a State that I love and won all three times, and a State that I just brought back with money, blood, sweat, and tears, from the recent tragic floods, when Sleepy Joe Biden let them DROWN, right up until the end of that Administration, without doing anything — I was given an A+ Rating for the job we did in bringing it back, and Tillis, despite being a Republican, was MISSING IN ACTION — North Carolina will not allow one of their Senators to GRANDSTAND in order to get some publicity for himself, for a possible, but very difficult Re-Election,” Trump continued.

Trump later threatened to support primary challengers to Tillis in his next reelection run.

“Numerous people have come forward wanting to run in the Primary against “Senator Thom” Tillis. I will be meeting with them over the coming weeks, looking for someone who will properly represent the Great People of North Carolina and, so importantly, the United States of America,” Trump posted to Truth Social.

Tillis — one of two Republican Senators to vote “no” on the bill — claimed that proposed cuts to Medicaid would hurt his constituents in North Carolina, which prevented him from voting “yes” on the BBB. (RELATED: Two GOP Senators Vote ‘No’ As Trump’s Megabill Clears Critical Hurdle)

“I did my homework on behalf of North Carolina and I cannot support this bill in its current form. It would result is tens of billions in lost funding for North Carolina, including our hospitals and rural communities. This will force the state to make painful decisions like eliminating Medicaid coverage for hundreds of thousands in the expansion population, and even reducing critical services for those in the traditional Medicaid population,” Tillis said in a press release that he posted to X on Saturday.

The Senate version of the One Big Beautiful bill contains significant changes to Medicaid that would be devastating to North Carolina, and I cannot support it. The Senate should go back to the House’s commonsense approach to Medicaid reform to enact work requirements while… pic.twitter.com/eFIc31R0sQ

— Senator Thom Tillis (@SenThomTillis) June 28, 2025

He proposed returning the bill to the House of Representatives approach that included reforms targeted at waste, fraud and abuse, and implemented work requirements for able-bodied adults.

“We can and must do better than this. The Senate should return to the House’s Medicaid approach. That plan includes commonsense reforms to address waste, fraud, and abuse, and implements work requirements for some able-bodied adults to ensure taxpayer-funded benefits are going to our most vulnerable neighbors,” Tillis said.

“There is a lot for North Carolina to love about the rest of the One Big Beautiful Bill, including extending the historic Trump Tax Cuts, increasing the child tax credit, providing historic funding for border security, and ending wasteful spending. We can and must accomplish this without hurting our rural communities and hospitals, and without jeopardizing access to care for hundreds of thousands of North Carolinians who need it most.”

Trump finished his post by praising the provisions in the BBB and made a final warning to Tillis for voting against the bill.

“America wants Reduced Taxes, including NO TAX ON TIPS, NO TAX ON OVERTIME, AND NO TAX ON SOCIAL SECURITY, Interest Deductions on Cars, Border Security, a Strong Military, and a Bill which is GREAT for our Farmers, Manufacturers and, Employment, in general. Thom Tillis is making a BIG MISTAKE for America, and the Wonderful People of North Carolina,” he said.