Republican unloads on GOP senator for Trump clickbait demand

As the midterm elections near, Republicans are sniping at each other publicly, including one outgoing lawmaker who accused his GOP colleague of going for clickbait and fishing for "likes."

Sen.Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), who is retiring after this year, spoke with reporters on Tuesday, relaying his annoyance with his colleagues who spend more time on demands for impossible and illogical Senate actions.

Semafor reporter Burgess Everett relayed that Tillis complained about Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) for his ongoing campaign to eliminate the filibuster, which is one of President Donald Trump's demands. Trump wants to see his voting restrictions passed into federal law. To do so would take a 60-vote majority to end the filibuster. Democrats are against the bill. So, Lee, like Trump, wants to see the GOP eliminate the filibuster.

It isn't an unpopular idea, and it has long been one that Democrats also support. The problem with Lee's proposal is that it's possible that Democrats could take over the U.S. Senate after the November election.

But Tillis thinks Lee isn't being serious and is causing more problems for lawmakers who are simply trying to accomplish something in the final days of the 2026 session.

According to Everett, Tillis "unload[ed] on Lee" for the filibuster discussion, calling it "goofy stuff." According to Tillis, Lee is either motivated by “naivety or a desire to get more likes on a social media post, maybe both."

He said that he generally operates under the rule “I never speak ill of members when they want to be professional and they want to engage in a productive way." However, that's not what Lee is doing, Tillis said.

"When you do some of the bulls— he's done on social media, that's why he gets these comments out here," Tillis said.

NOTUS reporter Igor Bloc cited Tillis, adding that Lee's actions are certainly "not based on experience."

Tillis also went off about the firings that are happening under acting Director of National Intelligence Bill Pulte, CNN's Manu Raju said.

“My guess is it’s just going to be another hot-steamy pile of DOJ s—," Tillis cursed. “I think he's an incompetent sycophant and not the right person to lead DNI,” and the next DNI is going to inherit “a mess left behind by Pulte."

Tillis isn't the only Republican frustrated with his colleagues.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) issued a threat on X, "I will voting no and oppose other bills AND rules until we fight for SAVE America Act. That means if House GOP leadership chooses today to move the SENATE HOUSING BILL under suspension (getting rid of our house rules) I will vote to shut the floor down. I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE."

It was reposted by Punchbowl reporter Jake Sherman, commenting that Luna "says she’ll shut down the floor if Johnson moves the housing bill under suspension. Johnson is moving the housing bill under suspension."

Luna then deleted the post.

Tillis has been described in recent weeks as a member of the so-called "YOLO caucus," meaning "you only live once." It's the joking term being used to describe Republicans who are leaving office and no longer care about playing party politics.