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President Donald Trump reflected on his administration’s immigration enforcement in a 60 Minutes interview aired Sunday evening, admitting that his policies “might be too tough” and suggesting this approach contributed to historic Republican losses in last week’s midterm elections. According to the Associated Press, Trump said, “I think it might be too tough, yeah,” when asked if his deportation policy went too far.
In the interview, Trump did not take personal responsibility for the party's defeat but pointed to factors like the Iran conflict and poor messaging. He acknowledged that while his strict immigration measures were meant to target “killers” and “drug dealers,” they also caught people “working in a landscaping company, or working in a hotel, or doing something, right? And in some cases, paying taxes.” He suggested that many of those deported were otherwise law-abiding people, which likely fueled public backlash.
Trump indicated he is open to working with Democrats on a potential immigration deal, saying, “I think that’s something that’s actually doable.”
During the interview, Trump also addressed whether he would endorse a Republican successor for the 2028 presidential race, stating, “probably, not necessarily,” and mentioned Secretary of State Marco Rubio as a possible contender. He further commented on his personal wealth, dismissing any suggestion that foreign investments in his business aimed to buy influence.