Tillis, Who Voted Against Trump Tax Plan, Says "Will Not Yield When Residents Are Threatened"

Meeting with Reporters at the U.S. Congress
Senator Tillis Explains His Opposition to Trump's Tax Cut Bill
Announces Decision Not to Seek Re-Election After Vote
Emphasizes the Importance of Courage in Expressing Differences within the Republican Party

Republican Senator Tom Tillis of North Carolina. Photo by AP News

"I respect President (Donald) Trump and support the majority of his policies, but I will not yield to anyone when the residents of North Carolina are threatened."

Republican Senator Tom Tillis of North Carolina, who became an outcast after voting against President Donald Trump's tax cut plan, made this statement on the 29th (local time) during a meeting with reporters at the U.S. Congress.

He stated that he had spoken with President Trump by phone the previous day, on the 28th, and had informed him of his decision not to seek re-election after voting against Trump's broad domestic policy bill.

He added, "I thought we had reached some degree of agreement, but ultimately that was not the case," and explained, "This was an issue I had been considering for some time, so I felt this was the right moment to announce my intention not to run for re-election."

In response to a question about whether it is possible to express differences of opinion with Trump in today's Republican Party, he added, "It is possible if you have courage."

Earlier that day, Senator Tillis released a statement saying, "As many of my colleagues have noticed and sometimes joked about over the past year, I have not been particularly interested in running for re-election," adding, "This is not a difficult decision, and I will not seek another term."

Senator Tillis's announcement that he will not run for re-election came less than 24 hours after he voted against the motion to begin consideration of the tax cut bill, which passed the U.S. Senate late on the night of the 28th.

The so-called "one big, beautiful bill," which contains President Trump's key tax cut pledge, passed the Senate the previous day with 51 votes in favor and 49 against.

There were two Republican dissenting votes, and one of them was Senator Tillis. Senator Tillis voted against the bill citing the drastic cuts to the Medicaid (health insurance for low-income individuals) budget as his reason.