Trump says deportations may have been too tough and hurt him in midterms
He says he is open to an immigration deal with Democrats, and on Friday named Stephen Miller, a key architect of his crackdown, chief of staff.
President Donald Trump said in a CBS "60 Minutes" interview, aired Sunday and recorded Friday, that his policy may have been "too tough" and hurt him in the elections. It was his first major interview since Republicans lost and the . Host Ross Douthat asked the questions.
Trump said he gets high marks for removing "the bad ones" but is hurt because the policy also swept up people with good jobs whose only violation was entering the country illegally. At another point he said the policy "both helped and hurt" him. He said he could work out an immigration deal with Democrats, who take control of in January.
He said yes when asked whether that could mean legal status for workers such as landscapers or hotel staff. He gave no specifics. He also said people on the far right want everyone removed and that some of them are in his administration.
On Friday, after taping, Trump named Stephen Miller, a key architect of his hard-line immigration agenda, as White House chief of staff. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer replied: "That's not a course correction. That's a promotion."
According to NBC News, Trump also blamed "bad messaging" for the losses.
- an A+grade Trump says he felt he had gotten on the southern borderNewsweek
- 25 millionpeople Trump says came in under Biden over four yearsNewsweek
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Liberal11 outlets
Trump concedes deportations hurt, and promotes Miller
NBC News leads with Trump's concession that his mass deportations were "too tough" and hurt him in the midterms. Its video segment carries the same line as its title. The report quotes him on people with "good jobs" who committed one violation by entering illegally, and on his yes when asked whether a deal could mean legal status for undocumented workers.
NBC notes that on Friday Trump promoted Stephen Miller, whom it describes as the conceiver of the mass deportation policy, to chief of staff, replacing Susie Wiles. It adds Trump's blame of "bad messaging, maybe by me" for what it calls Republicans' "crushing midterm losses," and his downplaying of the Iran war's effect on economic woes. A large part of the piece covers the business questions: Forbes's $7 billion net worth estimate, up $2.7 billion since 2024, and Trump's co-ownership of the crypto company World Liberty Financial.
Douthat asked how that differs from a Biden family case, and Trump answered, "Because I know nothing about it."
Center7 outlets
Trump's first interview after losses, immigration deal opening
The Seattle Times opens with Trump's first major interview since his party lost the House and Senate, in which he said the administration was too aggressive on deportations and that a deal with Democrats is doable. It quotes his "I think it might be too tough, yeah," and Schumer's reply, "That's not a course correction. That's a promotion."
It also covers 2028 endorsements, his net worth, and whether he can forgive enemies. It recalls that federal officers killed Renee Good and Alex Pretti, both US citizens, at protests over the crackdown. Newsweek leads with the "helped and hurt" and "too tough" remarks and Trump's claim of "an A+" on the border.
It adds Adam Klein, a former senior official, who says of Trump's remarks: "I would not confuse an opening with a commitment." The Hill's headline says the crackdown "might be too tough" after midterm losses, and it reports Trump saying his immigration policy "both helped and hurt."
Conservative12 outlets
Trump softens on deportations, open to deal
The New York Post leads with Trump backing away from hardline immigration policy, with "I think it was too tough" in its headline. It ties the remarks to the "blowout" and to Latino voters who, after swinging right in 2024, reversed course and moved left, with Democrats winning governorships and Senate seats in such as Texas. It also carries Trump's border claim of zero people entering in 17 months, as opposed to 25 million.
Just the News leads with deportation policies that "might be too tough" and an openness to a deal. It reports that Trump said a deal may grant a form of lawful standing to unauthorized migrants in certain categories, and it lists his "high marks" and "A+" claims and his "Very easily" answer on not insulting Democrats during talks. The Washington Times headline says Trump wants an immigration deal with Democrats and that deportations may have been "too tough."
- New York Post: Trump backs away from hardline immigration policy after midterms blowout: ‘I think it was too tough’
- Just the News: Trump says his deportation policies 'might be too tough,' open to deal with Democrats on immigration
- The Washington Times: Trump wants immigration deal with Democrats -- says deportations may have been 'too tough'
- Conservative outlets did not mentionTrump named Stephen Miller White House chief of staff Reported by NBC News, NBC News, The Seattle Times, Newsweek
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For undocumented immigrants who hold jobs, such as in landscaping or hotels, Trump said a deal could let them stay and said yes when asked whether it could mean legal status. The Seattle Times says he gave no specifics. Newsweek quotes Adam Klein, a former senior DHS official, who says deciding not to deport someone differs from granting lawful status.
All sources: 40 articles from 30 outlets
Liberal (16)
- ABC News: Trump says 'too tough' deportation policies hurt him in the midterms
- ABC News: Trump says his deportation policy 'might have been too tough' for voters in the election
- Al Jazeera English: Trump says his immigration policy ‘too tough’ for voters
- NBC News: Trump Blames Midterm Losses on Immigration: 'It Was Too Tough'
- NBC News: Trump says deportations were ‘too tough’ and hurt him during the midterms
- NBC News: Trump tells ‘60 Minutes’ his deportation policy ‘was too tough’
- PBS NewsHour: Trump says his deportation policy 'might have been too tough' for midterm voters
- The Boston Globe: Trump says immigration crackdown may have ‘hurt’ Republicans in midterms
- The Daily Beast: Trump Faces MAGA Backlash After Floating Immigration Deal with Democrats
- The Daily Beast: Trump Admits His Signature Immigration Policy Was 'Too Tough' After Midterm Catastrophe
- The Guardian: Trump tells 60 Minutes that deportation policy was ‘too tough’
- The Independent: MAGA loses it - and White House gets brutal community note on X - over Trump’s amnesty idea
- The New Republic: MAGA Crashes Out After Trump Says He’s Too Hard on Immigration
- Yahoo News: Trump says his deportation policy ‘might have been too tough’ for voters in the election
Center (7)
- Border Report: Trump says his immigration crackdown ‘might be too tough’ after midterm losses
- Deutsche Welle: US President Donald Trump says deportation policy was 'too tough' for voters
- Newsweek: Trump Says Mass Deportation Policy 'Too Tough,' Hurt Midterm Result
- Stateline: Trump open to immigration deal, calls crackdown ‘too tough,’ despite Miller promotion
- The Hill: Trump says his immigration crackdown ‘might be too tough’ after midterm losses
- The Seattle Times: Trump says his deportation policy ‘might have been too tough’ for voters in the election
- The Wall Street Journal: Here are five takeaways from President Trump’s “60 Minutes” interview, which aired Sunday
Conservative (17)
- Breitbart News: Trump's Base, New Poll Reject Trump's Amnesty Dangle
- Breitbart News: Trump Dangles Concessions, Says Deportation Policy ‘Too Tough’
- CBN News: 'It Was Too Tough': President Trump Admits Immigration Policies Hurt GOP in Midterms
- Daily Caller: EXCLUSIVE: White House Scrambles After Trump Again Floats Amnesty Deal With Democrats
- Fox News: White House doubles down after Trump angers base by floating illegal alien deal with Dems
- Just the News: Trump says his deportation policies 'might be too tough,' open to deal with Democrats on immigration
- New York Post: Trump backs away from hardline immigration policy after midterms blowout: ‘I think it was too tough’
- The Daily Signal: Immigration Hawks Warn Trump’s Amnesty Talk Will Unlock Border Catastrophe
- The Daily Signal: Trump Teases Controversial Deal With Democrats on Amnesty for Illegal Immigrants
- The Daily Wire: Trump Hints At What A Deal With Dems Could Mean For His Deportation Push
- The Daily Wire: Trump Says His Mass Deportation Effort ‘Was Too Tough’
- The Epoch Times: Trump Says Deportation Policy ‘Might Be Too Tough,’ Open to Deal With Democrats
- The Post Millennial: Trump says mass deportation policy was 'too tough'
- The Washington Times: Trump's second-guessing mass deportations seen as opening for Democrats, while conservatives seethe
- The Washington Times: Trump wants immigration deal with Democrats -- says deportations may have been 'too tough'
- Washington Examiner: Conservatives balk at Trump’s ‘amnesty’ proposal: ‘Total betrayal’
- Washington Examiner: Trump says deportation policy ‘too tough’ in push for bipartisan deal handing legal status to ‘good’ illegal immigrants
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