On the record · Updated October 1, 2026
Republican U.S. Senator, North Carolina
58 things Thom Tillis said, verbatim, from March 26, 2026 to September 27, 2026, each linked to where it ran. Grouped by the questions at issue, with who supported, disputed, or qualified each one.
Also appeared as: Sen. Thom Tillis
Positions
Disputes
“They just don’t have the experience.”
NBC News OpenAI says its rogue agents probed the Education, Commerce and SEC websites ›
Others on this question
“Oh, I very much think there’s a capacity here.”
Supports
“I have never witnessed more inept management of the brave men and women who serve our country,”
The Guardian The US destroys three Iranian oil tankers after missiles are fired at two Navy warships, and diesel sets a record at $5.85 a gallon ›
Others on this question
“has been a transformative leader for the Department of War and, at President Trump’s direction, has ushered in a new era of Peace Through Strength”
“The secretary of defense is a clear and present danger to the national security of the United States and the world,”
More on the record
As printed
“Whoever told the president that you were going to obliterate the military, obliterate the nuclear program, and obliterate any chance that they would ever have nuclear materials should be fired,”
As printed
“I think politically, we can help the president with an unpopular war right now if we provide some legitimacy to it.”
on Congress giving political legitimacy to an unpopular Iran war
NBC News Oil prices surge as Congress splits on Iran war votes: From the Politics Desk ›
As printed
“July 10, to my knowledge, is the first time I heard anyone in the administration refer to it as a war,”
on when the administration first called the Iran conflict a war
NBC News Oil prices surge as Congress splits on Iran war votes: From the Politics Desk ›
As printed
“If we do that, in the president’s defense, it will improve the odds that this war can get a little bit more popular. It is not popular among the voting demographics.”
on the war with Iran being unpopular among voters amid gas price concerns
Politico ‘Tone deaf’: GOP fears WH isn’t speaking to voters' angst over Iran, gas prices ›
As printed
“I think JD can actually be the hero if he can work out an agreement that satisfies Congress and is subject to a ratified vote of Congress,”
on JD Vance possibly brokering a congressionally ratified Iran agreement
MSNBC Republicans worry JD Vance may become Trump’s ‘fall guy’ for Iran ›
As printed
“If it doesn’t, it’s a two-and-a-half-year-old deal. Why does anybody think the Iranians are going to honor this deal after Trump’s gone?”
on doubts Iran will honor a nuclear deal once Trump leaves office
MSNBC Republicans worry JD Vance may become Trump’s ‘fall guy’ for Iran ›
As printed
“I think as people acknowledge that one of the reasons why the family is having a fight is because some of the brothers and sisters were just not stepping up to the level the family expected, then we can have a good discourse with this president,”
on NATO allies falling short as Hegseth reviews US forces in Europe
Politics - CBSNews.com Hegseth announces review of U.S. forces in Europe, blasts "shameful" NATO allies ›
As printed
“It was Stephen Miller who said it was the position of the United States that we should go after Greenland. And Stephen Miller, that’s been repeatedly responsible for embarrassments for the president of the United States by acting too quickly speaking, first, and thinking later.”
on Stephen Miller drawing blame for the Greenland remark and other missteps
Atlanta Black Star ‘He’s a Big Problem’: Stephen Miller Could be Out for Embarrassing Trump as One GOP Voice Finds the Guts to Speak Out and Now Pete Hegseth Is in the Crosshairs ›
As printed
“Instead, he is creating a leadership void at the top of our military ranks.”
on Hegseth's purge of army generals following Driscoll's resignation
Associated Press Dan Driscoll steps down as US Army secretary after 18 months ›
As printed
“I don’t have any confidence in him anymore. I think he’s all over the place; he’s accelerating the retirement or forcing out some of the most distinguished leaders in the DOD that we have,”
Atlanta Black Star ‘I Hope to Hell They Don’t Have a Job’: GOP Senator Admits He Wrongly Dismissed Hegseth’s Drinking Allegations — Then Drops Explosive Claim That Rips Through Trump’s Inner Circle ›
As printed
“But he's got to consciously recognize he's doing that. We were close before the Pulte announcement. We were back on the right track with the Clayton announcement. Now we're back to square one.”
on Trump derailing a bid to revive a counterterrorism tool
Latest Political News on Fox News Lawmakers scramble after Trump derails bid to revive key counterterrorism tool days after FBI thwarts UFC plot ›
As printed
“It gives me pause that you had people like Stephen Miller calling the shots,”
Atlanta Black Star ‘He’s a Big Problem’: Stephen Miller Could be Out for Embarrassing Trump as One GOP Voice Finds the Guts to Speak Out and Now Pete Hegseth Is in the Crosshairs ›
As printed
“What I’m focused on is the main thing, and the main thing is the 1776 fund needs to go away, or they’re going to hang this yoke around our candidates’ necks, and rightly so,”
As printed
“The president has to look at the reality: The majority of Republican members support John Thune,”
on Trump's demand the Senate cancel its August break to pass a voting bill
ABC News Trump demands Senate cancel August break until it passes voting bill ›
As printed
“We keep overpromising and underdelivering, which is not a recipe for voter morale or high voter participation in the midterm elections.”
ABC News Trump demands Senate cancel August break until it passes voting bill ›
As printed
“They’re being disingenuous to suggest to the American people they could possibly be operational by this election. And so then it begins to make me wonder ... if we’re just beginning to undermine the underlying integrity of any of our elections,”
on doubts that election systems will be ready before the next election
As printed
“Do y’all have any idea how many governmental entities have to implement these changes before November? More than 10,000. …If we had passed this last year, it couldn’t have been implemented in time,”
on doubting states can implement the SAVE America Act voting changes before November
NBC News What to know about the SAVE America Act and Trump’s push for voting changes ›
As printed
“Let’s assume you only allow early voting in the month of October. Then do you honestly believe that we can have this thing up in 50 states? There’s no funding. There’s no specific implementation instructions,”
on doubts the SAVE Act's voting requirements could be implemented nationwide
The Federalist Congress Went On Vacation Rather Than Pass The SAVE Act, Extend Planned Parenthood Defunding ›
As printed
“Let’s assume you only allow early voting in the month of October,”
As printed
“Unless they do the work to get to the 60 votes, they know it’s dead, and so all this is theater,”
As printed
“And, honestly, here in North Carolina, or in virtually any state, the ability, if we go back to when we implemented voter ID in North Carolina, it took a year to get everything in place with adequate funding,”
on the difficulty of implementing a national voter ID mandate
Latest Political News on Fox News Republican says Trump's top election priority 'dead' in Senate as GOP fractures ahead of midterms ›
As printed
“Then do you honestly believe that we can have this thing up in 50 states? There’s no funding. There’s no specific implementation instructions. SUPREME COURT RULES ON MAIL-IN BALLOTS RECEIVED AFTER ELECTION DAY”
on lack of funding and plans for a national voter ID law
Latest Political News on Fox News Republican says Trump's top election priority 'dead' in Senate as GOP fractures ahead of midterms ›
As printed
“It’s quite simple. It’s a math problem. We simply don’t have the votes and the SAVE America Act will not be implemented in time for this election,”
on whether the SAVE Act can pass before the coming election
The Federalist ‘Erroneous’ SCOTUS Ruling On Election Day Ballots Screams For SAVE Act ›
As printed
“Another fund could be created because of the law. And I agree, we should change the law. But those same critics need to realize that these sorts of tools are available to anyone in the…White House based on current law. We should address the current law,”
MSNBC Cornyn, Tillis throw support behind Blanche for attorney general ›
As printed
“clearly intends to resurrect the payout pot for punks either by inappropriately establishing another bogus fund or pushing Congress to vote for a bill that the majority of Republicans in the Senate would be against.”
Associated Press Trump's threat to push for settlement fund muddies attorney general talks ›
As printed
“Despite comments as late as yesterday that the fund is dead, President Trump clearly intends to resurrect the payout pot for punks either by inappropriately establishing another bogus fund or pushing Congress to vote for a bill that the majority of Republicans in the Senate would be against,”
on Trump reviving a payout fund tied to the Blanche nomination fight
Fox News Trump blasts rogue GOP senators for blocking Blanche nomination, vows anti-weaponization bill fight ›
As printed
“His statement lends credence to what the Democrats are saying about him resurrecting this thing at the appropriate time.”
on Trump possibly reviving the DOJ anti-weaponization fund later
PBS NewsHour Blanche's AG nomination on hold over opposition to DOJ's 'anti-weaponization fund' ›
As printed
“The president's not winning on this issue. It is killing some of our candidates because they can't explain it. And now it looks like they weren't being honest when they said it was inoperative.”
on the anti-weaponization fund still being active and hurting GOP candidates
Reason.com Todd Blanche's Nomination Is in Trouble. It Should Have Been Doomed From the Beginning. ›
As printed
“I commend Todd Blanche for doing what all his predecessors over the last two decades never did: meet with the victims of Jeffrey Epstein’s horrific crimes,”
As printed
“I was against that and I’m also against some of the decisions of the president,”
As printed
“Mr. Blanche said very quickly yesterday that he would meet with the victims, the Epstein victims, today if it could be arranged,”
As printed
“And under oath, I want to hear that he or any other AG-nom would agree that they would have to step back before they can make a payment out of it.”
As printed
“I have to be certain that there cannot be a dime paid out,”
As printed
“It'll be an issue if the weaponization fund isn't effectively dead by the confirmation hearing,”
on Todd Blanche's Senate confirmation hearing to be attorney general
Latest Political News on Fox News Bill Barr says Todd Blanche isn't 'a toady,' urges senate to confirm Trump's AG pick ›
As printed
“Well, they better damn sure have information to back it up because if all it is is a picture, that person should lose his job, his or her job.”
on evidence standards during Todd Blanche's attorney general confirmation hearing
The Federalist Senate Advances Todd Blanche Nomination for Attorney General ›
As printed
“Additionally, the department has acknowledged in a binding written order that the audit settlement is limited to the plaintiffs and the scope does not extend beyond the defendants in the lawsuit, the IRS and the treasury, addressing concerns that multiple of our Republican colleagues share.”
The Guardian Trump declines to call for Max Miller’s resignation amid abuse allegations – as it happened ›
As printed
“I believe the only logical conclusion I can draw from this setback is that, in fact, there is somebody who wants to enable it at the right time,”
As printed
“It’s unfortunate that Todd Blanche, who I consider qualified for the job, will not be confirmed because of this reversal. Hopefully, we can resolve this by Tuesday,”
As printed
“The President made it clear today that the so-called Anti Weaponization Fund is still alive, which is exactly why we are attempting to formally end it”
Associated Press Trump says settlement fund is 'dead' even as he defends it ›
As printed
“Look up the definition of recalcitrant”
on Trump's refusal to negotiate over the IRS settlement fund
Politico Faced with Blanche dilemma, Trump chooses revenge ›
As printed
“Todd Blanche is negotiating in good faith, but it’s clear that the approval to get this done is above his pay grade, and we just need to get to that pay grade,”
As printed
“This is not popular. The president's not winning on this issue. It is killing some of our candidates because they can't explain it. And now, it looks like they weren't being honest when they said it was inoperative.”
PBS NewsHour Trump says he may temporarily pull Blanche's nomination for attorney general as Republicans seek concessions ›
As printed
“There should not be any reason why, based on what Mr. Blanche said yesterday, if he said that he would do it today, then he can certainly do it over the next two weeks,”
on Todd Blanche's pledge to meet Epstein survivors and follow through within two weeks
MSNBC Todd Blanche meeting leaves Epstein survivors stunned and angry ›
As printed
“This administration has done the same thing to justify some of their behavior … we are at this place today in part because of the actions of the Biden administration and the weaponization that I even saw under Garland who I generally supported. Let’s just be real here people,”
on comparing Trump's DOJ actions to Biden-era DOJ weaponization
The Federalist Tillis Doesn’t Understand Difference Between Biden’s Weaponized DOJ And Trump’s Pursuit Of Justice ›
As printed
“They better not have said for one minute that the people who beat up police officers, like these right down here, were righteous people,”
on GOP concerns over Trump's DOJ nominee before confirmation
Latest Political News on Fox News Trump's DOJ pick in trouble as GOP concerns threaten confirmation ›
As printed
“he’d have to explain how breaking what I think is a very clear commitment squares with being honest and being the president of the United States.”
As printed
“We are not the manufacturing department for the Article II branch,”
USA Today Trump keeps blowing up the Senate's plans, leaving Republicans scrambling ›
As printed
“We are the board of directors for the Article II branch. You start treating us like that, coordinating with us like that, and we won't have these embarrassing setbacks. And we can get back to the good work the president wants to accomplish.”
USA Today Trump keeps blowing up the Senate's plans, leaving Republicans scrambling ›
As printed
“Some bonehead in North Carolina thinks that that’s a crime,”
As printed
“The Judiciary Committee and its members should not settle for less than the Acting Attorney General following through on his promise of helping to write this into statute,”
As printed
“That’s who he was. But it was also smart politics.”
on Lindsey Graham blending genuine conviction with political strategy
As printed
“If we're able to get through the 1776 and get-out-of-audit-free card, then I'm going to support him,”
As printed
“He’s definitely being passed a hot potato,”
As printed
“The president is creating terms that will never ever be satisfied, so why are we walking into a boxed canyon? That’s what John is confronted with,”
CNN Trump is growing tired of hearing ‘no’ from Thune. GOP senators are lining up behind the majority leader ›
As printed
“A lot of members probably underestimate just how much any one member can have a tremendous amount of leverage — if they want to exert it,”
As printed
“By the time the confirmation vote occurs, that payout pot for punks needs to be put away,”
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