GOP Senator Claims 'Lying' Putin Is Playing Trump Like a 'Fiddle' and Accuses Prez of Failing to 'Defend Western World' From Dictator
Trump and Putin's relationship has continued to draw criticism.
Oct. 20 2026, Published 6:00 p.m. ET
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., believes Vladimir Putin is playing President Donald Trump "like a fiddle," and that history will not look kindly on an America that fails to defend the Western world if the Russian leader gets his way, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Tillis made the comments on CNN's Erin Burnett OutFront after he and other lawmakers spoke by phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Thom Tillis Criticizes Trump's Handling of Russia
Thom Tillis called out Trump's recent policies toward Russia.
"Russians are lying. Putin is lying. Putin is playing President Trump like a fiddle, and history is not going to look good on an America that failed to rise up and defend the Western world, if Putin actually gets his way," he raged during the interview.
The GOP notable branded Putin a murderer and described what he saw on a trip to Ukraine.
"I saw the devastation. I saw what this murderer Vladimir Putin has ordered. I heard the stories about women being raped in front of their husbands and then their husbands assassinated. I went to schools that are meeting in subways because they can't meet above ground," he revealed.
Thom Tillis Dismisses Trump's Potential Meeting With China and Russia
Tillis criticized Trump's meeting with Xi Jinping in September.
Tillis also called a proposed meeting among Trump, Putin, and Chinese President Xi Jinping "absurd."
"I believe that a summit with Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, two countries who want to overwhelm the world, is absurd," Tillis noted.
Reportedly, Trump is planning such a meeting to hammer out an end to the war, and that Zelensky would not be included. Burnett asked Tillis about Trump's comment that day that Russia "has been fine on Ukraine" and "haven't been doing much."
Tillis replied, "He is a murderer and not doing a lot; what does that mean? He only killed 20 or 30 people a day versus a thousand? I mean, my God, one life is too many at the hands of Vladimir Putin, and President Trump should know better."
SpaceX's Starshield System
Tillis doesn't believe Elon Musk has anything to do with Ukraine's Starshield access not being restored fully.
Zelensky told the senators on the Monday, October 19, call that a young girl in a stroller had been killed by one of Russia's strikes, and that Ukraine's data speeds on SpaceX's Starshield system had not been fully restored.
Tillis said he wants to know how intelligence sharing or the capabilities of Starlink have degraded over time, and that he will look into who inside the administration ordered Starshield to be throttled in Ukraine.
He said he takes SpaceX CEO Elon Musk at his word that the billionaire had nothing to do with it.
Trump Lifted Russian Sanctions
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Trump recently lifted sanction on Russia to address diesel prices.
The comments come after Tillis and other Republican senators have denounced a deal to import several million tons of Russian diesel, which they said would undercut U.S. credibility with allies and do little to reduce domestic fuel prices.
Trump lifted sanctions on Russia to keep Putin at the negotiating table and has said he is seeking an end to the war that began in February 2022.
