Donald Trump with US JD Vance, his vice-president - Ken Cedeno/Reuters

A Republican senator who tried to sink Donald Trump’s signature tax and spending bill has quit the Senate in a row with the US president.

Thom Tillis, a senator for North Carolina, voted against the bill, which still looks likely to pass by a narrow margin, during a tumultuous night in the Senate.

The move angered Mr Trump, who also lashed out at another dissenting senator, accusing them of grandstanding.

After the president threatened to oust Mr Tillis during the primary race next year as a punishment for his rebellion, the Republican senator announced he would not contest his seat.

“As many of my colleagues have noticed over the last year, and at times even joked about, I haven’t exactly been excited about running for another term,” he said in a statement.

“That is true since the choice is between spending another six years navigating the political theatre and partisan gridlock in Washington or spending that time with the love of my life Susan, our two children, three beautiful grandchildren and the rest of our extended family back home.

“It’s not a hard choice, and I will not be seeking re-election.”

Senator Thom Tillis is approached by journalists - Kevin Dietsch/Getty

Before Mr Tillis resigned, Mr Trump wrote on social media: “Looks like Senator Thom Tillis, as usual, wants to tell the nation that he’s giving them a 68 per cent tax increase, as opposed to the biggest tax cut in American history!”

The president later added: “Numerous people have come forward wanting to run in the Primary against ‘Senator Thom’ Tillis. I will be meeting with them over the coming weeks, looking for someone who will properly represent the great people of North Carolina and, so importantly, the United States of America.”

He also attacked Rand Paul, a Republican senator for Kentucky, for voting against the legislation. “What’s wrong with this guy?” he asked.

The president has become increasingly frustrated with Republican politicians voting against his flagship bill, accusing them of grandstanding for a moment in the spotlight.

By a 51-49 tally and with JD Vance, the vice-president, on hand to break a potential tie, the bill passed the procedural vote despite opposition.

Mr Tillis joined Senator Paul in voting “no” after announcing he could not support the bill because of Medicaid cuts that he worried would leave many without health care in his state.

Senator Rand Paul from Kentucky also voted against the Bill - Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg Finance LP

At its core, the legislation would make permanent many of the tax breaks from Mr Trump’s first term.

The bill would add new breaks, including no taxes on tips, and commit $350 billion (£255 billion) to national security, including for Mr Trump’s planned mass deportations of migrants.

It has caused bitter divisions in the party and contributed to a breakdown in relations between Mr Trump and Elon Musk, the world’s richest man.

Mr Musk doubled down on his distaste for the bill on Saturday night.

“The latest Senate draft bill will destroy millions of jobs in America and cause immense strategic harm to our country,” Mr Musk wrote on X.

“It gives handouts to industries of the past while severely damaging industries of the future.”

The Tesla and SpaceX chief executive later posted that the bill would be “political suicide for the Republican Party”.

Days after he left the federal government last month with a laudatory celebration in the Oval Office, he blasted the bill as “pork-filled” and a “disgusting abomination”.

Elon Musk called the ‘big beautiful’ Bill ‘political suicide’ - Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters

Senators now face an all-night debate and amendments.

If they are able to pass it, the bill would return to the House for a final round of votes before it could reach the White House in time for Mr Trump’s self-imposed deadline of July 4.

With the narrow Republican majorities in the House and Senate, leaders need almost every lawmaker on board.

“Tonight we saw a great victory in the Senate with the ‘Great, Big, Beautiful Bill’, but, it wouldn’t have happened without the fantastic work of Senator Rick Scott, Senator Mike Lee, Senator Ron Johnson, and Senator Cynthia Lummis,” he later wrote.

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