North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis did not hold back Sunday morning, calling for the removal of top White House adviser Stephen Miller and praising the firing of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
Speaking on CNN’s State of the Union, the Republican senator argued that the Department of Homeland Security has been plagued by incompetence and overreach, specifically pointing to Miller’s “outsized influence” as a primary source of the administration’s recent embarrassments.
The comments come just two days after President Trump dismissed Noem following a tenure defined by a controversial $220 million ad campaign and the fatal shooting of two American citizens by immigration agents.
Tillis, who had aggressively questioned Noem on Capitol Hill last week, told host Jake Tapper that he was “glad” the president moved on, stating that Noem’s experience as governor of South Dakota simply did not scale to the demands of a federal agency.
Tillis directed his sharpest critiques at Miller, the architect of the administration’s aggressive immigration quotas. The senator claimed Miller was responsible for branding American citizens as “terrorists” before investigations were complete and suggested the adviser cares more about “form” than “substance.”
“I think Stephen Miller’s demonstrated he, too, is out of his depth,” Tillis said. “He’s a big problem in this administration. He has been from the beginning.”
The senator is now throwing his full support behind Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin to take over the DHS. Tillis described Mullin as a “fiercely independent” leader who would be capable of telling Miller to “stay in his lanes.” Tillis expressed hope that Mullin would prioritize “quality over quantity,” focusing on dangerous criminals like gang members and drug traffickers rather than the broad, community-disrupting sweeps seen under Noem’s leadership.
Beyond domestic policy, Tillis addressed the escalating military tensions with Iran following a strike that killed six U.S. service members.
While the U.S. is not “by definition” at war, Tillis warned that the 60-day clock provided by the War Powers Resolution is ticking. He urged the administration to seek formal congressional authorization if the conflict—including potential “boots on the ground” to seize enriched uranium—is expected to last.
“Let’s be straight up with the American people,” Tillis said, noting that voters are increasingly questioning the objectives of the engagement. “Let’s move with a discussion about what an authorization for the use of military force looks like and provide legitimacy to the president.”
As the administration prepares for a leadership transition at the DHS, Tillis made it clear that he expects the next secretary to be driven by data and law enforcement expertise rather than political rhetoric.
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