Sen. Thom Tillis has weaponized his seat on the Banking Committee to force the Trump administration's hand on a federal investigation into Jerome Powell, leveraging a single vote that could derail the nomination of Kevin Warsh to lead the Federal Reserve.
In an extensive interview, the retiring North Carolina Republican made his position crystal clear: he will not vote to confirm Warsh, Trump's choice to replace Powell, until the criminal probe into the outgoing Fed chair is terminated. Warsh's confirmation hearing is scheduled for next week, and with Democrats united against the nomination, Tillis holds veto power over the entire process.
"If that probe ends, I will vote for Kevin Warsh simultaneously with the conclusion of that statement coming out of the DOJ, and not a day before," Tillis said, speaking with the confidence of someone who understands exactly how much leverage he possesses. He pledged to do so within his remaining 264 days in the Senate.
Tillis called Warsh "a perfect candidate" but insisted the investigation must stop first. Powell, in his view, "did nothing wrong," and the probe itself represents something he cannot abide. He suggested the investigation was initiated by someone within the Justice Department seeking "to garner favor from somebody in the White House," though he said he accepts Trump's claim that the president was not involved in launching it.
A federal judge last month already cast doubt on the investigation's foundation, blocking subpoenas and citing "essentially zero evidence."
The move undercuts Trump's Friday claim on Fox News that Tillis had essentially "quit" the Senate and would not matter in confirming nominees. The senator is very much present and very much engaged in determining how this administration's agenda moves forward.
Tillis, 65, faces no political pressure to compromise. He is retiring at the end of the year and has shed what he calls his "filter," speaking with a directness that elected officials typically reserve for their final months in office. When critics suggest he should simply let Powell's term expire in May and move on, Tillis rejects the idea outright.
"Because I don't want to reward bad behavior," he said.
The pope fight and other grievances
Tillis is equally mystified by Trump's clash with Pope Leo XIV this week. The president and Vice President JD Vance have repeatedly attacked the pontiff after he spoke out against the ongoing war with Iran. For Tillis, a Catholic, the entire dispute is unfathomable.
"To say soft on crime or soft on the border, that's what you say to an opponent in the next election," he said. "But not to the pope of the Catholic Church."
The senator called for an apology. "I, for one, think apology is an underused art in politics. When you're wrong, you're wrong, or if you made a mistake, or maybe it was just a misconception, just get past it. Move on."
He noted that Trump "has done so many positive things that I want to focus on," a framing that suggests his concerns about papal attacks are not rooted in disagreement over substance but in a sense of what is appropriate.
Tillis also expressed skepticism about the Iran war itself. Though he has given Trump "latitude" and voted against Democratic efforts to constrain military operations, he is now troubled by the lack of clear strategic objectives. Nearly seven weeks into the conflict, officials have not articulated what victory looks like or how long it will last.
"What's concerning me now is we're coming up on the 45-day mark," he said, noting that the 60-day threshold matters under the War Powers Resolution. "I'm not quite clear what the strategic objectives are."
He called on the administration to "share the details" with relevant committees and warned that beyond the 60-day mark, "it's going to be difficult to get my support" to continue. The conflict has already cost more than $30 billion, and gas prices have risen an average of 38 percent nationwide, according to AAA.
Tillis positioned himself as willing to fund more military operations, but only if the administration makes its case. "I'm not a no," he said. "But I've got to see the detail."
The senator also pushed back against Trump's effort to pressure Republican senators into eliminating the filibuster to pass the SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship at the ballot box. Tillis said he will not vote to weaken the 60-vote threshold and predicted that colleagues who do will live to regret it.
As for November's elections and the fate of his successor in North Carolina, Tillis suggested that Trump's direct involvement in campaigning might not be helpful in a purple state where victory margins are razor-thin. He said he would campaign for Republican Michael Whatley, the nominee for his seat, if asked, but will focus primarily on downballot races.
On his future, Tillis was emphatic. He will not return to elected office. "I like my privacy," he said, and any higher office would require a security detail he refuses to accept. Instead, he plans to return to business and work another eight to ten years at his current pace.
Author Sarah Mitchell: "Tillis is behaving like someone who knows his leverage is real and isn't afraid to spend it, which makes him perhaps the most dangerous vote Trump faces in the Senate right now."
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