'You failed': Republican hammered on MSNBC for squandering chance to back up rhetoric

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) made a floor speech in the Senate this week after President Donald Trump alleged that Ukraine started the war with Russia.

Russia invaded Ukraine starting in 2014 and continued with a full-scale invasion in 2022.

According to Tillis' speech, Russian President Vladimir Putin is "a cancer."

“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.

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“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.

For those appearing on MSNBC's "Deadline White House," it wasn't enough.

"Sen. Tillis — he's someone we have our eye on," said journalist John Heilemann. "He's a person who clearly knows better. ... But, you know, he's running for reelection in two years."

Heilemann explained that Tillis will likely be forced to contend with a GOP primary in which someone on the far right challenges him. If he challenges Trump, he could lose MAGA support in that primary.

"Then he gives that speech yesterday, which is a really fiery speech, really impressive, Nicolle," Heilemann said. "He's saying all the right things about Vladimir Putin. Can somebody please play me the clip where he uses Donald Trump's name and says that Donald Trump is wrong for pursuing the policy that he's pursuing?"

Tillis never referenced Trump in the speech.

Former Republican strategist Tim Miller said it was too late in some respects.

He agreed it was a "nice speech." Still, Tillis had the opportunity to back up his confirmation hearing rhetoric. There were leaks, Miller recalled, that Tillis had doubts about Pete Hegseth for the Department of Defense, but he still confirmed the nomination. He also supported Tulsi Gabbard and Kash Patel.

"So, this Thom Tillis thing, it's like, great speech, but you have your chance to do something. There'll be budget votes. There are votes on these confirmations you failed to date," Miller said. "If you actually care about Ukraine, if you actually believe that Vladimir Putin is a killer and a threat who must be stopped, then you're going to have to stop Donald Trump from continuing to capitulate to him."

See the video below or at the link here.

- YouTubeyoutu.be