Trump Concedes Deportation Tactics Were Too Harsh
In a 60 Minutes interview, the president linked aggressive removals to Republican midterm losses and discussed a $2.7 billion increase in his personal wealth.
By Harvey Wilson ·
President Donald Trump acknowledged that his administration’s immigration enforcement measures were excessive. Speaking on CBS’s 60 Minutes, which aired Sunday, he stated that mass deportations negatively affected Republican performance in the recent midterm elections.
The president described the policies as overly harsh, particularly regarding undocumented immigrants who had not committed crimes. He noted that his party suffered politically because officials removed individuals who held good jobs and had only a single legal violation related to their entry into the United States.
Trump argued that a large segment of the public supports allowing these workers to remain. He cited examples of immigrants employed in landscaping, hotels, and other sectors who pay taxes. He expressed a willingness to work with Democrats to create legal status for such workers, although he noted that some members of his own administration, particularly those on the far right, preferred a stricter approach to removal.
The interview took place shortly after Trump promoted Stephen Miller to the role of White House chief of staff. Miller, who conceived the mass deportation policy implemented since Trump returned to office, replaced Susie Wiles in that position. This personnel change occurred despite Trump’s stated desire to moderate the immigration stance.
The president attributed the Republican midterm defeat to poor communication. He stated that bad messaging, potentially his own, prevented the party from effectively conveying its priorities. Trump claimed that media outlets failed to cover positive news about his administration, forcing him to handle public relations personally. When asked to define the specific message that failed, he replied that his team could not get the word across.
The White House has operated without a permanent press secretary since late August. Karoline Leavitt departed the administration, and her brief replacement, Katie Zacharia, left after only five days in the role.
Douthat also questioned Trump about his financial gains during his second term. Forbes reports that Trump’s net worth increased by $2.7 billion since his 2024 election, bringing his total to $7 billion. Financial disclosure forms indicate he has earned $1.4 billion in cryptocurrency profits. Trump stated he devotes little time to his finances and does not discuss them with his sons, who co-founded World Liberty Financial two years ago.
Investors in World Liberty Financial include Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a member of the Abu Dhabi royal family and the national security adviser for the United Arab Emirates. When Douthat asked how this arrangement differed from the Biden family’s business interests, Trump responded that he knows nothing about the company’s operations and was unsure if foreign investors believe they are purchasing influence.
