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NC's Thom Tillis critiques the 'weirdos of the MAGA world' in forthcoming book

Danielle Battaglia, The News & Observer (Raleigh) on

Published in News & Features

WASHINGTON — Sen. Thom Tillis can add “author” to his resume.

Last week, the North Carolina Republican announced on MS Now he wrote a book, “How to Lose Friends and Antagonize Presidents: The Trouble with Sycophants, Courage Outsourcing, and Partisan Group Think.”

Here’s how his publisher, HarperCollins, explains the book: “Outspoken and uncensored, North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis pulls no punches about his time in Washington and how the sycophants surrounding President Trump, spineless Republican yes-men (and -women), and the weirdos of the MAGA world can’t get out of their own way.”

The cover includes pictures of the senator, along with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, all people Tillis voted to confirm.

It also includes a photo of White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, a nemesis of Tillis.

Tillis was asked to explain what he meant when writing about “grifting sycophants,” “useful idiots” and “MAGATs.”

“I’m talking about the Trump sycophants who are not giving the president honest advice and putting us in positions that we could avoid,” Tillis said. “I’m talking about people that are looking at an expedient and treating the Capitol like we’re the manufacturing facility versus the board of directors. I’m talking about people who’ve never worked a day in business, who now have business strategy decision-making roles, and they’re simply not looking around corners and taking care of this president.”

Tillis said he wanted to write about the people who aren’t concerned about outcomes, but about lining their pocketbooks and notoriety.

But don’t expect Tillis to place blame at the feet of the president.

 

In the interview, Tillis said that he considers President Donald Trump a CEO and said no CEO has experience in every aspect of a corporation.

“You have to have good, strong-willed, smart people with experience to look around corners,” Tillis said.

He then said Hegseth failing the president on the Iranian campaign is the perfect example of what not to do.

But Tillis added he’s not suddenly going to join the Democrats, like some believe.

“I want Republicans to win in November,” Tillis said. “That’s why I’m speaking out.”

Tillis’ book comes out Oct. 6, less than a month before the general election.

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©2026 Raleigh News & Observer. Visit newsobserver.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

 

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