Retiring Republican Senator Thom Tillis reveals in his upcoming memoir, "How to Lose Friends and Antagonize Presidents," that his deciding vote to confirm Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in January 2025 is the biggest regret of his career. Tillis also regrets supporting Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and details the intense pressure on GOP senators to conform to Donald Trump's demands to protect their political careers, claiming at least 30 colleagues harbor private reservations.
Regrets over Cabinet confirmation votes
- ▪Senator Thom Tillis stated that he voted for Donald Trump's Cabinet nominees because he did not want to be the lone voice in the wilderness preventing their confirmation
- ▪Senator Thom Tillis stated in his upcoming book that his January 24, 2025, deciding vote to confirm Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is the biggest regret of his career
Initial support for Pete Hegseth
- ▪Senator Thom Tillis initially praised Pete Hegseth's military service and voted to confirm him in January 2025, stating he looked forward to working on Donald Trump's agenda
- ▪Senator Thom Tillis delayed Pete Hegseth's January 24, 2025, confirmation vote to investigate allegations of domestic abuse, heavy drinking, turbulent management, and treatment of women, but ultimately supported him after failing to corroborate them
Criticism of Pete Hegseth
- ▪In July 2025, Senator Thom Tillis defended his confirmation vote for Pete Hegseth to CNN's Jake Tapper, despite calling Hegseth's handling of Ukraine weapons shipments amateurish
- ▪In September 2026, Senator Thom Tillis stated that he backed an impeachment resolution against Pete Hegseth, asserting that the defense secretary needed to go
Debatable claims
- ▪Republican senators bear responsibility for controversial Cabinet appointments they privately opposed
- ▪Politicians who wait until retirement to criticize their party's leadership fail their constitutional duty
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