Thom Tillis calls for Miller, Hegseth, RFK Jr. firings
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Republican Sen. Thom Tillis said Trump should fire Stephen Miller, Pete Hegseth and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The call comes under two weeks before midterms, with Trump's approval at a record low.
Background
Thom Tillis is a Republican senator from North Carolina, described as retiring and clashing with his own party. Stephen Miller is White House deputy chief of staff, Pete Hegseth is defense secretary and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is health secretary. Tillis has spoken out against administration officials throughout the year, often accusing them of giving the president bad advice, and says his push is about defending the Republican Party rather than Trump personally.
How it unfolded
- March (year not stated)Tillis said he does not admire "bad advice" and "bad execution" from administration officials and would call them out when it undermines the president's agenda.
- Oct 21, 2026On Stephen A. Smith's SiriusXM show, Tillis said Trump should fire Miller, Hegseth and Kennedy, saying they "present no cost-benefit."
- Oct 22, 2026The Hill and the Washington Examiner report the remarks, quoting Tillis that the three are "costing us more than they are benefiting us."
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Tillis said Trump "just needs to get some of these people out of there" and would see a different trajectory, particularly with officials who invest in a relationship with Congress.
- Caution
- Tillis framed the call as not personal, saying he has fired his best friend and would fire them if he were president, and that he is going to the mat for the office rather than for Trump.