Trump admits immigration tactics were too harsh

President Donald Trump told CBS News on Sunday that his administration’s immigration enforcement was overly aggressive and that this approach cost Republicans votes in the midterm elections.

In an interview recorded on Friday and aired on the show 60 Minutes, Trump argued that the government removed many undocumented immigrants who had not committed crimes. He explained that these individuals often held good jobs and had only broken the law by entering the country illegally. He said he understood that a large group of people believed workers in sectors like landscaping and hotels, particularly those paying taxes, should be allowed to stay.

The comments came after Republicans suffered major losses in the midterm elections last week. Trump attributed the defeat partly to bad messaging. He suggested that he had been talking about positive developments all the time, but the media did not cover that news. When asked by CBS News contributor Ross Douthat to specify the message, Trump replied that the administration simply could not get the word across. He also minimized the economic impact of the Iran war on the country’s financial troubles.

Trump said he wants to work with Democrats on immigration. He confirmed that a deal could involve creating legal status for undocumented workers. However, he noted that some people on the far right, including members of his own administration, prefer to remove everyone. On Friday, Trump promoted Stephen Miller, the architect of the mass deportation policy, to White House chief of staff. This move replaced Susie Wiles in that role.

The White House has lacked a permanent press secretary since late August. Karoline Leavitt left the administration at that time, and Katie Zacharia served for only five days before departing.

During the interview, Douthat asked Trump about his personal wealth. Forbes reported that the president’s net worth rose by $2.7 billion since his election in 2024, bringing his total to $7 billion. Trump’s financial disclosure forms list $1.4 billion in cryptocurrency earnings. Trump initially responded to the increase by saying that everyone’s wealth had gone up. He later added that he devotes almost no time to his net worth and does not know the exact figures. He said one of his sons watches over the money and that they do not discuss finances.

Trump’s sons founded the cryptocurrency company World Liberty Financial two years ago. Trump is a co-owner, and investors include Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a member of the Abu Dhabi royal family. Douthat asked how this arrangement differed from the Biden family’s foreign investments. Trump said he knows nothing about the company’s operations. He added that he did not know whether the foreign investors believed they were buying influence.

The interview aired on Sunday, providing the president’s first major media appearance since the midterm results.