Trump Admits Deportation Policy Was 'Too Tough' in Midterm Retrospective

In a broadcast interview that aired Sunday on CBS’s “60 Minutes,” President Donald Trump acknowledged that the administration’s immigration enforcement actions were overly harsh. Speaking from the White House, he stated that mass deportations of undocumented immigrants who had not broken other laws contributed to the Republican Party’s losses in the midterm elections held last week.

The interview was recorded on Friday, just days after the election results were finalized. Trump specifically cited the removal of individuals who held steady jobs and paid taxes as a factor that alienated voters. He noted that many of these workers were employed in sectors such as landscaping and hospitality.

“I get hurt because we also took people that had good jobs, that created one violation, or breaking of the law, and that was that they came into the country illegally,” Trump said. He added that he believes a large group of people think these workers should be allowed to remain in the United States.

Trump expressed a willingness to collaborate with Democrats on immigration legislation. When asked if a deal could involve creating a legal status for undocumented workers, he answered affirmatively. However, he cautioned that members of his own party, whom he described as being on the far right, prefer a more aggressive approach to removal.

The president’s comments come amid internal shifts in his administration. On Friday, he promoted Stephen Miller, the architect of the mass deportation policy, to the role of White House chief of staff. Miller replaced Susie Wiles in that position.

Trump also attributed the Republican midterm defeat to poor communication strategies. He suggested that the message regarding economic conditions was not conveyed effectively to the public. He blamed the media for failing to report positive news and stated that he had to handle the messaging personally.

“I think it was bad messaging, maybe by me, but I would talk about it all the time,” Trump said. When pressed by interviewer Ross Douthat about the specific failure, Trump replied, “We couldn’t get the word across.”

The White House has operated without a permanent press secretary since Karoline Leavitt departed in late August. Katie Zacharia served in the role for five days before leaving, leaving the communications office understaffed during the campaign cycle.

During the interview, Douthat also raised the topic of the president’s financial growth. Forbes reported that Trump’s net worth increased by $2.7 billion since his election in 2024, reaching $7 billion. His financial disclosures indicate he has earned $1.4 billion in cryptocurrency profits.

Trump said he devotes little time to managing his wealth and relies on one of his sons to oversee the money. The president’s sons co-founded the cryptocurrency firm World Liberty Financial two years ago. Trump is a co-owner of the company, which includes investors from the United Arab Emirates, such as Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

When Douthat asked how his stake in the firm differed from a similar arrangement involving the Biden family, Trump responded that he knows nothing about the company’s operations. He added that he and his sons do not discuss the finances in detail.