Trump slams ‘nitpicker’ Thom Tillis after DOJ fund criticism, calls him ‘quitter’

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump launched a blistering attack on Sen Thom Tillis on Friday, May 22, after the Republican senator criticized the Justice Department’s controversial “anti-weaponization fund.”

In a lengthy Truth Social post, Trump mocked Tillis as weak, accused him of repeatedly undermining the GOP agenda and claimed the lawmaker abandoned his reelection ambitions only after learning he would not receive Trump’s endorsement.

Trump revives feud with Tillis

The president’s post quickly turned personal as he revisited months of tensions with Tillis, who has often broken with Trump on legal, judicial and January 6-related issues.

“People don’t remember that Thom Tillis, the weak and ineffective Senator from the Great State of North Carolina, didn’t have the courage to fight it out in the Senate,” Trump wrote.

Trump claimed he had long viewed Tillis as a headache for Republicans, describing him as someone who constantly created friction over politically insignificant issues.

“I called him a ‘Nitpicker,’ always fighting against the Republican Party, and ME, mostly on things that didn’t matter,” Trump posted.

The president then escalated further, saying Tillis effectively ended his future in the Senate the moment Trump refused to back him publicly.

“When I told him that I would not, under any circumstances, endorse him for another run, he immediately quit the race,” Trump said. “I said, ‘Wow, great news, that was easy!’”

Trump also scoffed at media portrayals of Tillis as a principled Republican willing to challenge him.

“The media said how brave he was to take me on, but he wasn’t brave,” Trump wrote. “HE WAS A QUITTER!”

What triggered Trump’s outburst

Trump’s eruption came after Tillis criticized the Justice Department’s newly announced $1.776 billion “anti-weaponization fund,” which was unveiled as part of the administration’s settlement with the IRS.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the initiative was designed to help alleged victims of politically motivated investigations and government “lawfare.”

But critics immediately questioned whether the fund could eventually benefit Trump allies or January 6 defendants.

Tillis openly rejected that possibility during remarks to reporters Thursday.

“These people don’t deserve restitution,” Tillis said while discussing Jan. 6 rioters. “Many of them deserve to be in prison.”

That criticism appears to have pushed Trump into full retaliation mode.

Trump says he sacrificed money for ‘justice’

Minutes after targeting Tillis, Trump made another Truth Social post defending the compensation program and portraying himself as financially selfless for allowing it to move forward.

“I gave up a lot of money in allowing the just announced Anti-Weaponization Fund to go forward,” Trump wrote.

The president claimed he could have personally secured a massive settlement tied to investigations involving his tax records and the FBI’s Mar-a-Lago search.

“I could have settled my case for an absolute fortune,” he said.

Instead, Trump argued the fund would now help people he believes were unfairly targeted under former President Joe Biden’s administration.

“Instead, I am helping others, who were so badly abused by an evil, corrupt, and weaponized Biden Administration, receive, at long last, JUSTICE!” Trump wrote.