Republican Senator Thom Tillis Demands Stephen Miller's Resignation
Republican Senator Thom Tillis has delivered a blistering critique of Stephen Miller, the architect of Donald Trump's mass deportation campaign, describing the two-time White House official as being "out of his depth" and calling for his immediate resignation.
Withering Criticism From a Retiring Lawmaker
The extraordinary rebuke came during an appearance on CNN's State of the Union on Sunday, where Tillis laid out a series of embarrassing incidents he attributes directly to Miller's influence. The retiring North Carolina senator, who announced he would not seek re-election after breaking with his party on key legislation last year, has emerged as one of the few vocal Republican critics of the administration on Capitol Hill.
"It was Stephen Miller talking about a terrorist brandishing a gun. It was Stephen Miller who said it was the position of the United States that we should go after Greenland. It's Stephen Miller that's been repeatedly responsible for embarrassments for the president of the United States, speaking first and asking questions later," Tillis told host Jake Tapper.
Greenland Comments and Immigration Fallout
The senator specifically referenced Miller's controversial comments about Greenland, which created diplomatic tensions, and false narratives surrounding the death of protester Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. Pretti was legally carrying a firearm that he never unholstered when he was killed during protests against ICE and DHS agents in early 2026, yet Miller had claimed the protester was "brandishing" a loaded weapon at officers.
Tillis asserted that the president's mass deportation program suffers from incompetent leadership and pointed to Miller as having an "outsized influence on the Cabinet" that has become problematic for the administration. The senator's criticism intensified following the Minneapolis shootings, which prompted a major withdrawal of federal agents from the city after bipartisan condemnation and declining public support for immigration enforcement agencies.
Department of Homeland Security Upheaval
The attacks on Miller come amid significant turmoil at the Department of Homeland Security. Tillis was among the first Republicans to call for the resignation of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem following the deaths of protesters Pretti and Renee Good. Noem was officially fired on Friday amid allegations of a sexual relationship with specially-appointed staffer Corey Lewandowski, creating additional embarrassment for the administration.
Noem has been replaced by Senator Markwayne Mullin, a Republican colleague of Tillis in the upper chamber. Tillis expressed hope that Mullin would learn from his predecessor's mistakes and refrain from commenting on developing issues before facts become clear, though Mullin had previously echoed some of the same conspiracy theories about Pretti that were spread by Miller and Noem.
Political Consequences and Retirement Wave
The DHS upheaval coincides with the president's approval ratings on immigration reaching historic lows, with new polling showing the administration ten points underwater on the issue. This represents a dramatic reversal for what was previously considered one of the president's strongest policy areas.
Tillis's retirement is part of a broader wave of Republican departures from Congress that has complicated the party's electoral prospects. The North Carolina Senate seat is now heavily favored to fall into Democratic hands next year, reflecting a significant shift in the political landscape. Other surprise retirements include Senator Steve Daines, who withdrew his candidacy minutes before the state filing deadline, and Senator Joni Ernst, whose departure sparked a contentious battle for her Iowa seat.
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene also chose to exit Congress after a public confrontation with Trump, mirroring Tillis's own messy breakup with the president over the course of 2025. These departures have transformed what was once considered a favorable Senate map for Republicans into a challenging electoral environment as Democrats recruit strong candidates and Republicans face mounting political headwinds.
