Retiring Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina used a 9 July interview on CNN to explain his vote last week against President Donald Trump’s sweeping tax-and-spending package, dubbed the “Big Beautiful Bill.” Tillis said the law’s deep Medicaid cuts could spark a backlash comparable to the reaction that followed passage of the Affordable Care Act, warning the president that the measure could cost Republicans their congressional majorities. Tillis, who announced last month that he will not run for a third term in 2026, also lashed out at unnamed White House advisers, calling them “amateurs” who jeopardise Trump’s legacy. He said he will oppose any future administration nominees who express support for the 6 January 2021 Capitol attack. Reflecting on past votes, the senator signalled regret over casting the decisive ballot that confirmed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Citing Hegseth’s recent, unilateral pause in U.S. weapons deliveries to Ukraine, Tillis said “it’s clear he’s out of his depth as a manager of a large, complex organisation” and indicated he would block the nomination if it came before the Senate today.