**Rumor:** North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis was caught on a hot mic saying he would "step aside" to let President Trump choose his replacement, calling his own reelection bid "a lost cause."

Anonymous

2026-05-19 About 200 words One minute

Rumor: North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis was caught on a hot mic saying he would “step aside” to let President Trump choose his replacement, calling his own reelection bid “a lost cause.”

Verdict: FAKE.

What really happened: The audio clip circulating on TikTok and X is a deepfake created using AI voice cloning. The original audio comes from a 2022 C-SPAN interview where Tillis spoke about campaign finance reform, not his political future. A Tillis spokesperson confirmed to FactCheck.org that the senator “has not withdrawn, is not considering withdrawing, and is actively campaigning for reelection.” Furthermore, the supposed “hot mic” audio contains ambient sounds (a specific coffee shop layout) that were proven by audio forensics to be digitally inserted. Tillis currently leads in all major polling averages for the North Carolina Republican primary.

**Rumor:** North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis Was Caught on a Hot Mic Saying He Would "Step Aside" to Let President Trump Choose His Replacement, Calling His Own Reelection Bid "A Lost Cause."

Rumor: North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis Was Caught on a Hot Mic Saying He Would "Step Aside" to Let President Trump Choose His Replacement, Calling His Own Reelection Bid "A Lost Cause."