Sen. Tillis plotted to spike Hegseth's nomination but left his apparent co-conspirator hanging: Report

Republican Sens. Mitch McConnell (Ky.), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), and Susan Collins (Maine) joined Democrats in an unsuccessful effort Friday to spike Pete Hegseth's confirmation as secretary of defense. Vice President JD Vance cast the tiebreaking vote, sealing the deal and ensuring that Hegseth would be sworn in the following morning.

While only three nominal Republicans ultimately put their necks out trying to thwart the will of President Donald Trump, they were apparently greater in number in the preceding days.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) — who is running for re-election next year — allegedly assured Hegseth's ex-sister-in-law, a key witness during the Senate confirmation process, that her sworn statement could convince Republican senators to vote against Trump's nominee.

'I have been assured that making this public statement will ensure that certain Senators who are still on the fence will vote against Hegseth's confirmation.'

The Journal noted that in a Jan. 19 call witnessed by two other people, Tillis told Danielle Hegseth that if she signed the statement testifying that she believes Pete Hegseth was abusive to his second wife and had problems with alcohol, he and other Republicans might vote "no" on Hegseth.

Tillis, who ultimately voted "yes," did not deny the reporting about the call, telling the Journal in a statement that Danielle Hegseth's statement "did carry weight, which is why I communicated my concerns to the White House and spent days doing my due diligence and seeing if there were any firsthand corroborating accounts of the sworn statement."

Danielle Hegseth noted in her statement to the Senate Armed Services Committee, "I have chosen to come forward publicly, at significant personal sacrifice, because I am deeply concerned by what Hegseth's confirmation would mean for our military and our country and because I have been assured that making this public statement will ensure that certain Senators who are still on the fence will vote against Hegseth's confirmation."

"But for that assurance I would not subject myself or others referred to in this statement to the public scrutiny this statement is likely to cause," added Danielle Hegseth.

It appears that Hegseth's ex-sister-in-law learned the hard way that some politicians' assurances are worthless.

Following the Friday vote, Danielle Hegseth reportedly said, "What happened today will make women who have experienced abuse and mistreatment even less forthcoming."

Tillis, who managed to secure an F rating on Conservative Review's Liberty Score in his first four years in office, suggested to the Journal that his vote — supposedly informed by research and long conversations with Hegseth, as opposed to hopes of political self-preservation — "makes it clear where the facts ultimately led."

Despite his stated enthusiasm about working with the new secretary of defense, Tillis was among the Republicans who refrained from clapping when Vance cast the tiebreaking vote.

According to ABC News, Tillis is among the nominal Republicans that a Democratic group is now leaning on to help spike Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s confirmation as head of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Tillis, expected to face a competitive primary next year, is already facing one challenger: Andy Nilsson, a Winston-Salem businessman who filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission earlier this month to kick off his campaign committee.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!