Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) is calling on the Republican Party to reject President Donald Trump’s brand of populism and return to what he describes as its conservative foundations, arguing that the GOP’s current direction has left it electorally exposed.
Appearing Wednesday on CNN’s “The Arena” with host Kasie Hunt, Tillis offered a blunt assessment of his party’s identity, saying it has drifted during what he called “this phase of populism” and must course-correct.
A Warning on Imitation
Drawing on his forthcoming book, Tillis dismissed attempts by other Republicans to replicate Trump’s political style, likening the effort to a comic-book costume without the superpowers.
“Some of these people want to intimidate Trump, but it’s like putting on a Spiderman costume without having been bitten by a radioactive spider,” Tillis said, according to Breitbart. “It’s a bad look. Nobody’s going to repeat Trump and his personality.”
Tillis framed his critique around the idea that Trump’s personal appeal is unique and not transferable, warning that those who try to emulate him will fail.
Defining the Divide
Using his own political history to make the case, Tillis noted that he was already a Republican when Trump was hosting fundraisers for Democrats. He acknowledged there are things he likes about what Trump has done for the party, but said the GOP is now “exposed” and that the evidence is showing up in polling.
The senator then listed several positions he described as incompatible with conservatism: support for government equity stakes in corporations, across-the-board tariffs regardless of whether a trading partner runs a surplus, and the suggestion that Russia or Vladimir Putin might be “a good guy” and that there could be a “win win” in Ukraine.
“That’s not a conservative Republican Party,” Tillis said. “So part of what we have to do is get back from the drift we’ve experienced in this phase of populism and get back to our principles.”
Tillis said he believes in conservatism now, emphasizing that his argument is rooted in principle rather than personality.
Can the Party Change?
Hunt pressed Tillis on whether he had any evidence that the GOP had not been permanently reshaped by Trump.
Tillis conceded the difficulty of making that case in a populist era, but pointed to what he sees as the ultimate corrective force: elections.
“I mean, in a populist age, it’s difficult, but I think there’s nothing like a loss in the election for people to go back,” he said.
The exchange highlights a growing internal conversation within the Republican Party about its post-Trump direction, with Tillis positioning himself as an advocate for a return to traditional conservative orthodoxy on trade, foreign policy, and the role of government in the economy.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2026/10/07/tillis-gop-should-ditch-trump-populism-go-back-to-conservative-principles/