Let's Unpack All The Drama That Led To Thomas' Bachelorette Elimination

Well, Thomas Jacobs definitely won’t be the next Bachelor. He became a *controversial* Bachelorette contestant after a Week 3 group date during which he admitted he’d come on the show with the goal of growing his platform and had thought about becoming the Bachelor. During Week 4 of The Bachelorette, Katie sent Thomas home, and she made it very clear why.

I’d argue that basically every Bachelor Nation contestant has career opportunities in mind when they sign onto the franchise, but admitting that out loud and refusing to own up to Katie’s concerns left a huge target on Thomas’ back. The guys became convinced he was only there for the wrong reasons, and although he claimed everything had changed after he met Katie, the fact that he seemed to be telling her exactly what he thought she wanted to hear didn’t help his case.

After Tre decided to tell Katie about the other men’s concerns surrounding Thomas during the June 28 episode, she had serious doubts about keeping him around. “I was picturing hometowns with this man... I truly from the bottom of my heart thought he would go far,” Katie admitted to Kaitlyn and Tayshia. “I’m trying to walk away engaged, and [this mistrust is] not a feeling I want to have going into an engagement.”

Thomas arrived at Katie’s hotel room to explain himself before the next rose ceremony, but it wasn’t the heartfelt conversation he’d clearly been hoping for. Instead, Katie disagreed with his claim that every guy had considered the possibility of becoming the Bachelor and wondered whether pursuing her initial attraction to him was worth told him.

Katie decided to keep Thomas around for the cocktail hour and listened to what the rest of the men had to say. (Spoiler alert: Even more of them came forward with concerns about Thomas.) Thomas interrupted the beginning of the rose ceremony to apologize to Katie and the rest of the guys, so when Katie called his name while holding the last rose, it seemed like the Thomas drama was here to stay. But instead of giving him a rose, she took a step back. “You’re selfish, unkind, and a liar,” she told him. “The Bachelor audition ends tonight, so get out.” As Katie told the camera after the elimination, “You don’t get to use me as your stepping stone to whatever your goals are.”

There’s still plenty of Katie’s season left to go, but this Bachelorette moment is already iconic.

The Bachelorette Season 17 continues Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.