Senator Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) publicly pushed back against President Donald Trump on Friday after the president used a Truth Social post to defend a proposed compensation fund for individuals he described as victims of government prosecution under the Biden administration.

In his post, Trump directed criticism at Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas), stating: "John Cornyn never had a problem with the so called 'fund,' which will not benefit me, but rather the great American patriots who were hunted down like dogs and whose lives were unfairly and illegally destroyed by the Crooked Joe Biden administration, until after I decided to endorse and support his Republican primary opponent in Texas, who easily won the nomination for the United States Senate."

The Justice Department announced on Monday, May 18, that it would create a nearly $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization fund." Trump endorsed Cornyn's primary opponent the following day, May 19. Cornyn lost his primary election five days later.

Trump continued: "Perhaps there has never been a group of people treated so badly in our nation's history."

He claimed many of those targeted "are suffering still, many ruined, and I felt that they should be given compensation for what has been done to them. I gave up any payments for myself, which would have been substantial, including for the illegal and unprecedented raid on Mar-a-Lago, my home in Florida, even though many legal experts, and others, including John Cornyn, said it was a shocking and disgusting display of 'weaponization' against me. Such an event has never happened before, and hopefully will never happen again!"

The reference to Mar-a-Lago relates to the recovery of government documents. While other former officeholders found to have retained materials belonging to the National Archives returned them upon discovery, Trump refused to comply, even after the National Archives indicated it would involve the FBI.

Trump added: "I will always feel that these victims of government abuse should be paid back for what they were forced to endure, their lives have been ruined! millions of people agree with me, as was proven in my landslide presidential win, where this was a major subject of debate, and so did John Cornyn, until he lost his election to an opponent that I endorsed. Todd Blanche, a good man, should be immediately approved as U.S. attorney general. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"

Although Trump's remarks were not directed at Tillis, the North Carolina senator responded on X, turning the president's own words against him. The exchange marks a notable instance of a Republican senator openly contradicting the president on a high-profile issue, particularly one involving the Justice Department and taxpayer funds.

"The president made it clear today that the so-called 'anti-weaponization fund' is still alive, which is exactly why we are attempting to formally end it," Tillis wrote. "While I never disagreed that the Biden administration pursued a number of vindictive prosecutions related to January 6, the criminals who assaulted police officers and defiled our nation's Capitol are not 'great American patriots' who are 'victims of government abuse.'"

Tillis continued: "Anyone who attacked law enforcement should still be in prison, not getting a check from the federal government."

Polling conducted shortly before the pardons showed broad public opposition. According to the States United Democracy Center, 66 percent of Americans opposed pardons for individuals who violently assaulted police officers, and 65 percent opposed pardons for those who committed other violent crimes on January 6. Those numbers underscore the political risk for lawmakers weighing support for a fund that could channel payments to some of the same individuals covered by the pardons.

"Senator Cornyn and I have been working with Acting AG Todd Blanche to end the 'anti-weaponization fund,' and he has been forthright, thoughtful and patient," Tillis said. "It's a shame his confirmation has hit a snag only because an incompetent personal advisor to the president refuses to amend the bogus settlement. I will continue working in good faith to put an end this legal and political albatross and prevent any potential misallocation of taxpayer dollars." Tillis's reference to Blanche's confirmation indicates he is leveraging his Senate vote on the nominee to pressure the administration to drop the fund.

Tillis made a similar statement on Thursday, indicating he did not believe Trump was the driving force behind the fund. Trump subsequently responded on Truth Social, confirming that he did indeed support the fund.