President Donald Trump’s scorched-earth civil war might benefit his own family—and strengthen his power in the Senate.
The president has all but bullied Senator Thom Tillis, who on Saturday voted against his “big, beautiful bill,” into not seeking re-election at the midterms next year, paving the way for a member of his own family to contest the seat.
Trump’s daughter-in-law Lara Trump has been tipped as the frontrunner and would have the “right of first refusal” as the president’s preferred candidate for the seat in her native North Carolina, Axios reported citing Trump advisors.
Though the 42-year-old who is married to Trump’s third son Eric Trump will most likely not want “to leave the amazing gig she has at Fox News,” she “would have a hard time saying no if asked by her father-in-law,” Axios reported.
If elected, Lara Trump would add to the president’s sway in the Senate where he has been battling to force fellow Republicans to vote in favor of his “big, beautiful bill” amid concerns over proposed Medicaid cuts.
Lara Trump has been one of the more politically active members of the President’s family and served as co-chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC) from March 2024 until Trump’s re-election.
Other Republican lawmakers are reportedly considering running for the Senate, including RNC Chair Michael Whatley and Rep. Richard Hudson.
The Tillis debacle put into sharp focus the possibility of rebellion amongst GOP senators but Trump’s reaction has shown that the White House will not tolerate disloyalty.
A Truth Social post by Trump on Sunday made clear that Republicans who oppose the “big, beautiful bill” will face political consequences.
“For all cost cutting Republicans, of which I am one, REMEMBER, you still have to get reelected,” he wrote.
The president had earlier threatened to support a challenger against Tillis in the 2026 midterms, in a taste of what other dissenters should expect if they oppose Trump’s legislation.
Lara Trump briefly flirted with entering the political fray in late 2024 as a replacement for Senator Marco Rubio before he became secretary of state at the start of Trump’s second term in the White House.
In a post on X in late December, Lara Trump announced that “after an incredible amount of thought, contemplation, and encouragement from so many” she would not stand to replace Rubio.
Instead, she joined Fox News where she hosts a weekend show titled My View with Lara Trump.
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