Senate Republican: Putin a 'cancer,' 'greatest threat to democracy'
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) slammed Russian President Vladimir Putin as a "cancer" not long after President Trump stepped up his criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
“Look, I'm a Republican, I support President Trump, and I believe that most of his policies on national security are right. I believe his instincts are pretty good,” Tillis said Thursday on the Senate floor while warning of global turmoil.
“But what I'm telling you: Whoever believes that there is any space for Vladimir Putin in the future of a stable globe better go to Ukraine. They better go to Europe; they better invest the time to understand that this man is a cancer and the greatest threat to democracy in my lifetime,” he added.
Trump has sought to pin blame on Zelensky in recent days for the ongoing war, which began in earnest following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
“Look, Zelensky was fighting a much bigger entity. Much bigger, much more powerful. He shouldn’t have done that, because we could have made a deal and it would have been a deal that would have been — it would have been a nothing deal,” Trump told Sean Hannity in an interview last month.
“I could have made that deal so easily. And Zelensky decided that, ‘I want to fight.’”
However, Tillis, who’s running for reelection in 2026, rebuked all claims of Zelensky’s wrongdoing and placed the blame squarely on Russia. He argued the U.S. should fight the expansion of Russia’s land grabs at every turn.
“It will be a cancer that spreads into the South China Sea, into Taiwan, and metastasized across the globe,” the North Carolina lawmaker said of Putin’s efforts to gain territory.
“So, ladies and gentlemen, when I tell you that Vladimir Putin is a liar, a murderer and a man responsible for ordering the systematic torture, kidnapping, and rape of innocent civilians, believe me — because the evidence is mile high.”
-
Senate Republicans edge out the House again, planning budget vote this week
Politico - 3d -
Republicans question giving Cruz broad subpoena power at Senate Commerce
Politico - 2d -
Senate Republicans approve budget framework, pushing past Democratic objections
Republican senators pushed a $340 billion budget framework to passage over Democratic objections after a nearly all-night voteABC News - 20h -
Trump tariff threats rattle consumers
Welcome to The Hill's Business & Economy newsletter {beacon} Business & Economy Business & Economy The Big Story Consumer confidence dips in Trump’s first month A new survey found that ...The Hill - 7h -
Hong Kong’s last major pro-democracy party moves to disband
Hong Kong’s Democratic Party said late on Thursday it would start preparations to disband and wind up its affairs after a meeting of its leadership, amid a years-long national security crackdown in ...NBC News - 21h -
Hong Kong’s oldest pro-democracy party says it will begin process of disbanding
Democratic party chair Lo Kin-hei would not comment on whether Beijing put pressure on members. Hong Kong’s oldest pro-democracy party, which became an influential voice of opposition before ...The Guardian - 20h -
The Papers: 'Hounded to her death' and 'Don't be fooled by Putin'
A mix of stories lead Friday's newspaper front pages, including the latest in the rift between the US and Ukraine.BBC News - 1d -
Vladimir Putin prepares for return of western companies to Russia
President orders cabinet to give domestic producers preferential treatment as payback for sanctionsFinancial Times - 15h -
Rubio’s Dilemma: Cutting Trump’s Deal With ‘Bloodthirsty’ Putin
As a senator, Marco Rubio prided himself on challenging tyrants. But as secretary of state, President Trump has tasked him with helping to potentially turn Russia from an enemy into an ally.The New York Times - 12h
More from The Hill
-
FBI told to transfer 1,500 personnel from headquarters: Reports
The FBI told managers that 1,500 personnel will be transferred from the headquarters near Washington headquarters to offices around the country, including around a third being placed in an Alabama ...The Hill - 2h -
Trump removes Brown, names new Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman
President Trump has fired Air Force Gen. CQ Brown Jr., a four-star pilot, and named Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan “Razin” Caine to be the country’s next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. “I want to ...The Hill - 3h -
Federal judge temporarily blocks Trump DEI executive orders
A federal judge has temporarily blocked parts of President Trump’s executive orders that sought to end the federal government’s backing of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts. U.S. ...The Hill - 4h -
Federal judge extends decision blocking DOGE from Treasury payment system
A federal judge on Friday extended an earlier decision barring employees with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing a sensitive federal payment system at the Treasury ...The Hill - 5h -
Donalds coy on potential Florida governor bid while thanking Trump for endorsement
Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) was coy while discussing his potential Florida gubernatorial bid during a Friday interview while also expressing gratitude for landing an early endorsement from ...The Hill - 5h
More in Politics
-
NYC Mayor Eric Adams' corruption case continues for now, judge rules
A judge in New York City Mayor Eric Adams' corruption case has appointed an outside attorney to argue over the Department of Justice's request to drop the federal charges.CBS News - 2h -
FBI told to transfer 1,500 personnel from headquarters: Reports
The FBI told managers that 1,500 personnel will be transferred from the headquarters near Washington headquarters to offices around the country, including around a third being placed in an Alabama ...The Hill - 2h -
Trump removes Brown, names new Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman
President Trump has fired Air Force Gen. CQ Brown Jr., a four-star pilot, and named Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan “Razin” Caine to be the country’s next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. “I want to ...The Hill - 3h -
Trump scores big legal wins, but efforts to reshape government still face court hurdles
The Trump administration's efforts to swiftly remake the federal government notched some big wins in court this week — including a ruling that allows its firing spree to continue — but a number of ...NBC News - 3h -
Trump fires chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff CQ Brown
President Donald Trump fired Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman CQ Brown Jr., the country's highest-ranking military officer, from his position. This comes amid a wave of administration changes under ...NBC News - 4h