Retiring U. S.
Senator Thom Tillis is warning that the steady erosion of congressional authority across recent presidential administrations is putting the nation's system of checks and balances at risk.
The North Carolina Republican said lawmakers must assert their constitutional role or face the consequences of growing executive overreach.
Tillis made the remarks during an interview with 60 Minutes, drawing on his legislative career and his new book, 'How to Lose Friends and Antagonize Presidents.'
The 66-year-old senator, first elected in the 2014 midterm elections, has served under four presidential administrations.
"We will have a sort of dictator king if we're not careful," Tillis said.
He argued that governance by executive decree has become a routine strategy for modern White Houses, undermining Congress as a co-equal governing branch.
Tillis said the problem is not limited to one party, pointing to Democratic-controlled Senates under Presidents Biden and Obama.
"We always make the mistake when our guy's in office of conveying power to the White House," he said.
"And I've had a real problem with that because it almost always comes back to bite you."
He noted that executive encroachment has escalated continuously across successive administrations, leaving democratic institutions vulnerable.
"I want checks and balances.
I want all three branches to have their individual role and continue to check power as they have for 250 years," Tillis said.
"I think because we've been such a successful democracy for so long, it's hard for the American people to understand how quickly we can lose it all."
Tillis on His Record and Rift With the White House
Tillis maintained that his foundational political philosophy has remained unchanged throughout his decade in the Senate.
"Pro-Second Amendment, pro-life, limited government, fiscal restraint," he said.
He pointed to his legislative record as the primary distinction between his approach and that of other conservative lawmakers.
"The only difference between me and a lotta people that call themselves true conservatives is I got a long list of things that were ratified and they don't," Tillis said.
Relations between Tillis and the White House fractured significantly in June 2025 after his public opposition to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act over concerns about Medicaid coverage in North Carolina.
That opposition prompted his decision to retire rather than seek reelection.
"I respect the president. I still feel like we have an odd relationship, where I've clearly made him angry," Tillis said.
Reflecting on cabinet appointments, Tillis expressed deep regret over his initial confirmation vote for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth following subsequent military operations involving Iran.
"They got so caught up after the immense success of the first strike that Hegseth probably didn't listen to his best military advice and say, 'Now we should probably move to a different posture,'" Tillis said.
His public criticism extended to former Department of Homeland Security Advisor Kristi Noem regarding statements made following fatalities in Minneapolis.
"I was thinking about her calling people that were shot, potentially domestic terrorists," Tillis said. "That's proven not to be true."
Following his Senate critique, Noem was removed from her post two days later.
"I think Noem and Hegseth are probably the poster children for men and women who should never have the authority they've been granted," Tillis said.
Tillis also voiced disapproval regarding the administration's broader advisory team, including Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller.
Regarding the attack on the U. S.
Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, Tillis reiterated his strong condemnation of the events, characterising the siege as "despicable."
However, he defended his vote against conviction during the subsequent Senate impeachment trial.
"Cheapening the impeachment process to prevent somebody from running in the future, I just don't buy it," Tillis said.
Looking ahead to upcoming midterm elections, Tillis warned of potential political instability and losses for Republicans driven by consumer affordability issues.
"I think there's a risk. I really do," Tillis said.
"It would be another unforced error if we do that."
