Skip to content
Bramble

Politics

Tillis's profane private texts to Trump revealed ahead of his book

Politico Playbook published private texts from Sen. Thom Tillis to President Trump, sent May 22 and June 6, that will appear in Tillis's forthcoming book. In them he says he won't take Trump's "bulls---" and would have told him to "f--- yourself" had he threatened a primary challenge.

2 outlets · 2L · 0C · 0R First reported Account updated
Image: Raw Story
Image: The Independent

1 / 2

The story, neutrally told

LeftPolitico Playbook on Friday 2 October published private text messages from Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) to President Donald Trump, in which Tillis used profanity to rebuke him. LeftIn a May 22 text, Tillis wrote: "I still want to help but I don't take this bulls--- from anyone, including you Mr. President. Save that s--- for cowards who don't care if you fail. I care if you fail and right now we are failing." LeftThe Independent reports that Trump had publicly attacked Tillis on Truth Social the same day, calling him a "nitpicker" who was "always fighting against the Republican Party."

LeftIn a longer June 6 text, Tillis said Trump had never threatened him with a primary challenge, and that if Trump had, he would have told him to "f--- yourself" and announced his retirement immediately; he closed with "Save those threats and head games for cowards and fools." LeftThe day before, Trump had criticised Tillis publicly after the senator said he would oppose Todd Blanche's nomination for attorney general unless Blanche condemned the January 6 rioters; Trump called Tillis "a loser" and said he "didn't run because I wouldn't support him." LeftThe exchanges will appear in Tillis's memoir, "How to Lose Friends and Antagonize Presidents: The Trouble with Sycophants, Courage Outsourcing, and Partisan Groupthink," due out next week.

LeftPolitico did not publish Trump's replies or the messages that prompted Tillis's texts. LeftTillis, first elected in 2014, announced on 29 June 2025 that he would not seek re-election, hours after Trump said he would seek primary challengers following Tillis's vote against advancing the "Big, Beautiful Bill"; his term ends in January 2027. LeftSince then he has criticised administration policies and figures, including the Iran war, former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem's handling of the immigration crackdown in Minnesota, and Donald Trump Jr.

Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split.

Left2 outlets

Framing
Both outlets lead with the profanity and bluntness of a Republican senator's private rebuke of Trump, relaying Politico's scoop. Raw Story presents it as the latest chapter of a months-long feud; The Independent adds background on Tillis's clashes with the administration and Trump's public insults.
Emphasis
Raw Story stresses the quotes and the party's attempts to hide the rift; The Independent adds Trump's Truth Social attack and "loser" remark, and Tillis's criticism of the Iran war, Noem and Trump Jr.
Leaves out or plays down
Neither publishes Trump's replies or the texts that prompted Tillis's messages, nor any White House response. Raw Story gives little context on the retirement and the Big, Beautiful Bill.
Charged language
“Cursing GOP senator directly ripped into Trump”“profanity-laced”“angry”
For example
“Cursing GOP senator directly ripped into Trump in newly released texts: 'We are failing'” — Raw Story
“Republican senator’s angry and profanity-laced texts to Trump revealed” — The Independent

Centre0 outlets

No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.

Right0 outlets

No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.