Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) publicly urged President Donald Trump to remove White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller from the administration on Sunday, labeling Miller an “embarrassment” and a “big problem.” Tillis delivered his remarks during an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union,” where host Jake Tapper pressed the senator on Miller’s future within the Trump White House.
"He’s a big problem in this administration, he has been from the beginning.” - Senator Thom Tillis
The North Carolina Republican, who is not seeking re-election, responded directly when Tapper asked if Miller should be fired. “Oh, of course I do,” Tillis stated unequivocally. His call for Miller’s removal comes amidst ongoing internal discussions within the Republican Party regarding the administration’s operational effectiveness and policy direction.
Tillis connected his critique of Miller to the recent high-profile departure of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who was reportedly fired by President Trump last week. “It gives me pause that you have people like Stephen Miller calling the shots,” Tillis told Tapper. He further elaborated on his concerns, pointing to specific instances he attributed to Miller’s influence. “It was Stephen Miller that was talking about a terrorist brandishing a gun. It was Stephen Miller who said it was the position of the United States that we should go after Greenland.”
The senator continued to build his case against the senior adviser, asserting that Miller has “been repeatedly responsible for embarrassment for the President of the United States by acting too quickly. Speaking first and thinking later.” Tillis argued that Miller’s reach extends significantly beyond mere communications, permeating into the operational decisions of the executive branch. “He’s not worried about substance. He’s more worried about form,” Tillis claimed. “But I also think that he has an outsized influence over the operations of the Cabinet. And I believe we’ve got qualified Cabinet members there that sometimes are doing less than what they want to because of his direction and his outsized influence.” Tillis concluded his assessment with a blunt statement, “He’s a big problem in this administration, he has been from the beginning.”
Senator Tillis has a history of expressing dissent on certain administration matters. He was previously the first Republican senator to publicly call for Secretary Noem to step down and has raised objections to Miller on prior occasions. His latest public broadside lands as the administration continues to press forward with an aggressive immigration enforcement agenda, a set of policies widely considered popular with Republican voters. Miller serves as President Trump’s deputy chief of staff for policy and homeland security adviser and is widely regarded as one of the primary architects of the administration’s hardline border and deportation policies.
Within Republican circles, Tillis’s comments are being interpreted in some quarters as a political parting shot from a senator who no longer faces the immediate prospect of re-election. However, not all Republicans share Tillis’s view. A White House official, responding to the remarks, pointed to a recent public defense of Miller by a significant contingent of Senate Republicans. Last month, Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) led more than a dozen Republican colleagues in expressing their support for Miller’s role in the administration. “People can disagree with Stephen on rhetoric, and they can disagree with him on policy, but the question is, ‘Is Stephen Miller in jeopardy in Trump World?’ Absolutely not,” Graham stated, underscoring Miller’s secure position within the administration’s inner circle.
Other Senate Republicans have framed Miller’s work as fundamental to delivering on the promises that propelled President Trump to the White House. Senator Dave McCormick (R-PA) commented on Miller’s contributions, saying, “Because of him and other members of the president’s team, critical priorities like stopping deadly fentanyl, unleashing America’s energy, and bringing much-needed economic relief for working families are now a reality for Pennsylvania.” These statements highlight a clear division within the Republican Party regarding Miller’s effectiveness and appropriate level of influence.
Tillis also expressed support for Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), whom President Trump tapped to replace Noem at DHS. Tillis described Mullin as a “fiercely independent” leader and stated his expectation that Mullin would tell Miller “to stay in his lanes,” suggesting a desire for clearer boundaries and operational protocols within the executive branch. The unfolding dynamics reflect an ongoing internal debate among Republicans about the balance between policy implementation, administrative efficiency, and the role of key advisors in shaping the President’s agenda.
