Thom Tillis urges GOP to reject Trump’s ‘populism’ and return to conservative values
WASHINGTON, DC: Senator Thom Tillis wants Republicans to step back from Donald Trump’s populist approach and steer the party back toward what he calls its core conservative values.
He worries the GOP is losing its identity by adopting ideas that, in his view, do not reflect true conservatism.
Speaking on CNN’s ‘The Arena’, Tillis made it clear that he respects much of what Trump has achieved. At the same time, he believes the party has drifted too far from its traditional positions on trade, foreign policy, and especially the role of government in business.
Thom Tillis challenges Trump’s populist GOP
Tillis said Republicans should not try to simply imitate Trump or his political persona, arguing that the president’s approach cannot easily be replicated by other GOP figures.
Sen. Thom Tillis is warning Republicans against choosing a MAGA candidate for 2028.https://t.co/kCKDTnN7tW He says Trump should have a voice in the process, but argues the nominee must be able to compete beyond red states. "One that works well in red MAGA states won’t work well for a general election."
— Resist the Mainstream (@ResisttheMS) October 7, 2026
Tillis said, “I say in the book, 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. It’s a bad look. Nobody’s going to repeat Trump and his personality.”
“I like a lot of things the president’s done for this party,” Tillis said, while adding that he believes Republicans need to return to conservatism rather than continue moving in what he described as a populist direction.
He continued, “I was a Republican, as I say in the book, when President Trump was hosting fundraisers for Democrats.”
“But I believe in conservatism now. I don’t believe in a Republican Party that thinks equity stakes in corporations is okay, and tariffs, whether you’ve got a trade surplus or not, are okay.”
Thom Tillis weighs election loss against Trump influence
CNN host Kasie Hunt pressed Tillis on whether he had evidence that the Republican Party had not been permanently transformed by Trump.
Host Kasie Hunt said, “What evidence do you have that that’s the case, that the Republican Party has not been permanently changed by Donald Trump?”
Tillis said, “Well, 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.”
Tillis spoke up just as Republicans started gearing up for the 2026 midterms, while Trump’s grip on the party remains strong.
His comments put the spotlight on a major debate inside the GOP: whether to stick with Trump’s populism or return to more traditional conservative roots.
He is clear about where he stands: He wants a return to conservative principles. Still, he admits that steering the party away from Trump and his brand of populism will not be simple while Trump remains a dominant figure in the GOP.
