Furious Trump Jr. sent allies after GOP senator who didn't defend him fast enough after he was called to testify: report

Donald Trump, Jr. has launched an "extraordinary pressure campaign" as a political defense after being subpoenaed by Senate Republicans that relies upon local Republican Party politics in North Carolina, The New York Timesreported Thursday.

"Donald Trump Jr.’s political allies launched an all-out war against the Republican-led Senate Intelligence Committee, turning several Republican senators Thursday against the panel’s chairman amid news that he subpoenaed testimony from the president’s son," the newspaper noted.

"The main target of the pressure campaign appeared to be Senator Thom Tillis, Republican of North Carolina, a close ally of Mr. Burr’s who is facing a conservative primary challenger next year," The Times reported.

On Monday, Tillis formally received a viable Republican primary challenger for his 2020 re-election campaign.

"Garland Tucker III, the retired chairman and CEO of Triangle Capital Corporation and an author, filed paperwork with the Federal Election Committee to run in the Republican primary on Monday," The News & Observerreported.

Also on Thursday, Tucker pledged to invest $1 million of his own money in the campaign.

Tucker's media blitz against Tillis is expected to begin on Friday, with an ad buy on Fox News.

Could Tucker also get Trump's support -- including campaign support from the president's Twitter account?

"Some of Mr. Trump’s allies said they anticipated that the president would tweet support for Mr. Tillis’s primary opponent if the senator did not speak out," The Times reported.