Thom Tillis Publishes New Book Regretting 1 Key Trump Vote
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Oct 6
Thom Tillis Publishes New Book Regretting 1 Key Trump Vote
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Oct 6
Summary
Thom Tillis used a new book released Tuesday to deliver one of the sharpest critiques yet from a Republican senator of Donald Trump and the GOP’s loyalty to him.
One central admission is Tillis’s regret over casting the deciding vote to confirm Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, despite what he says were grave concerns about allegations of heavy drinking and a secret sexual-assault settlement.
Tillis writes that he tried to recruit more Republican opposition so he would not be the vote that sank a marquee Trump nominee, but only 3 others—Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins and Mitch McConnell—planned to vote no.
The book argues many Republicans privately share concerns about Trump while publicly falling in line, and Tillis casts himself as complicit in the party’s current predicament.
Tillis announced his retirement last year and said he wanted the “pure freedom” to speak his mind, a break that the book suggests came only once his political future was no longer at stake.