Trump, 79, Forgets One of His Biggest GOP Critics Is Still in Congress
President Trump failed to remember that one of his biggest GOP critics—Representative Thom Tillis—is still a sitting senator, right before forgetting when Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died. Both mistakes occurred in an interview with Fox New’s Maria Bartiromo that aired on Wednesday morning.
Tillis came up while Bartiromo asked the president if he’d have enough support in the Senate to confirm his preferred replacement for Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, Board of Governors member Kevin Warsh.
“And you think Kevin Warsh can get confirmed? You think Thom Tillis is gonna give you a vote—”
“Well, we’re gonna have to find out, he might not. But that’s why Thom Tillis is no longer a senator,” Trump replied. Tillis is very much still a senator, although he’s stated he won’t seek reelection in 2026.
“OK,” Bartiromo said, staring blankly at Trump before trying to change the subject. But he didn’t let her.
“Thom Tillis is no longer a senator right, he quit?”
“Well, he’s on his way out.”
“But he quit.”
This isn’t just some minor slipup. As Bartiromo herself said, Tillis could stand in the way of more than a few of Trump’s goals, from confirming the next Fed chair and attorney general to passing his desired budget. In this same interview, Trump claimed that Ginsburg died after his 2020 election loss, when in fact she died a month before. The whole interview added yet another chapter to Trump’s long record of mental instability.
Trump: Thom Tillis is no longer a senator.
— Headquarters (@HQNewsNow) April 15, 2026
Bartiromo: ...
Trump: Thom Tillis is no longer a senator, right? pic.twitter.com/8TFou0Q8v6