More NC Republicans are unexpectedly standing up to Trump | Opinion
More North Carolina Republicans are taking a stand against President Donald Trump.
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Sen. Ted Budd was the first to announce last week that he would vote against any of the president’s supplemental funding requests that do not include funding for Hurricane Helene recovery. Trump had requested $87.6 billion from Congress, largely to address “urgent needs” related to the Iran War.
“Every time I’m in WNC, people ask me to make sure that they’re not forgotten,” Budd said in a press release. “I’d ask my colleagues in Washington and Raleigh to send them a clear message that we’re with them by passing additional funding for disaster recovery.”
Sen. Thom Tillis and Rep. Richard Hudson told Spectrum News that they would join Budd in withholding support for Trump’s request.
Bucking the Trump administration has become common for Tillis since he announced he would not run for reelection. But for Budd and Hudson, who tend to toe the party line, it’s uncommon. Hudson’s opposition is particularly notable because he is part of House Republican leadership as chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee.
Budd is a staunch Trump ally, but he’s stood up to the Trump administration before. Last year, he vowed to block the confirmation of all Department of Homeland Security nominees until the department fixed the delay in releasing Helene relief funds to North Carolina. Of course, Budd didn’t blame the president for that delay, but he’s rarely willing to break with his party at all. In the end, it worked, because it ultimately resulted in the release of millions of dollars in funding for western North Carolina. Perhaps that experience taught him that some battles are worth fighting.
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Unfortunately, not all of North Carolina’s congressional delegation seems to feel the same. Of the 10 Republicans who represent North Carolina in the U.S. House, Hudson was the only one to tell Spectrum News that he would join Budd in taking a stand. Several Republicans agreed that Helene funding should be included in the appropriations package, but they did not commit to opposing the package without it. That’s disappointing, albeit unsurprising. If they aren’t willing to leverage their vote to do what they think is right, then what’s the point of having one?
Sure, Republicans may be wary of crossing Trump, especially seeing how his detractors have fared in recent primaries. But that’s no way to govern. Supporting the party and the president should always come second to supporting constituents, especially those who are still trying to rebuild in the wake of a natural disaster.
Besides, as some Republicans are beginning to learn, there’s safety in numbers. As opposition grows, it lessens political risk to any one individual, and it puts more pressure on Trump to respond. That’s especially true when dissenting Republicans have the power of public opinion on their side. We saw this happen on a larger scale with the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in Minneapolis, which resulted in the killing of two American citizens by federal agents. Republicans began raising concerns about the administration’s immigration strategy, which ultimately led to the administration’s retreat from Minneapolis. Growing GOP criticism of former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem also led to her firing back in March.
Does the latest move from Budd and Hudson mean that the dam is finally breaking? Not quite, but it is a step in the right direction. Just over a year ago, it would have been surprising to see even one North Carolina Republican take a stand against the Trump administration on any issue. Maybe they’re wise enough to know that binding themselves to Trump is a political risk of its own, given his unpopularity, or perhaps they’ve gained some courage after all. Either way, it’s a welcome sign of progress.
Deputy Opinion Editor Paige Masten covers politics and the 2026 elections for The Charlotte Observer and The News & Observer.
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