Republicans in battleground states privately urge top Trump aide to tone it down

Republicans in Congress are butting heads, according to a Monday report from The Hill, over conflicting stances on Donald Trump's top adviser, Stephen Miller, whose radical policy goals have become increasingly unpopular with voters.

Miller has been a prominent figure in both Trump administrations, noted for his ability to influence the president and for his staunchly far-right, anti-immigration views. He currently serves in the second Trump White House as the deputy chief of staff for policy and a homeland security adviser, and has been widely credited with leading the direction for Trump's mass deportation agenda.

These immigration policies, however, have become increasingly toxic with voters, who believed Trump's initial promise about only going after criminal undocumented immigrants. A considerable portion of the voting public has recoiled at the campaigns of harassment and terror inflicted on major cities by the likes of ICE and CBP, sinking Trump's approval on what had long been his most popular issue.

Sen. Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican who is not seeking reelection, has been among the most vocal GOP critics of the recent handling of Trump's deportation agenda, laying the blame largely at the feet of Miller and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.

"Number one, he has a condescending demeanor to begin with," Tillis told The Hill of Miller. "He doesn’t take advice. He sort of dictates. He provides doctrine. And you know these are U.S. senators with an election certificate. He should show them some respect."

Anonymous congressional GOP sources who spoke to The Hill indicated that Tillis's stances are widely held among the caucus. Republicans in vulnerable swing states are particularly eager for Miller to tone things down heading into the 2026 midterm races. Some Republicans, however, came to Miller's defense, including noted Trump ally, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.

“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 said. “To my Republican colleagues who wring their hands all the time about what somebody says in Trump world: We have an opportunity here to go on the offense."

Sen. Dave McCormack, hailing from the key swing state of Pennsylvania, also offered his support for Miller, arguing that he "has been instrumental in delivering on the promises President Trump and I made during the campaign."

“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," McCormack said.