Trump says mass deportations were too harsh, hurt GOP in Florida and across the country

ORLANDO, Fla. President Donald Trump told CBS News on Sunday that his administration's mass deportation policies were "too harsh," a concession that marks a notable shift from the rhetoric used to justify those actions when he returned to office. The comments, aired on the program "60 Minutes," offer a direct explanation for the recent losses faced by Republican candidates in the midterm elections held last week.

The president specifically cited the removal of undocumented immigrants who had not committed crimes as the primary source of voter frustration. He noted that many of those deported held good jobs and had only broken the law by entering the country illegally. According to Trump, a large segment of the population believes that workers in industries such as landscaping and hospitality, some of whom pay taxes, should be allowed to remain.

Trump identified immigration as a key area for potential cooperation with Democrats. When asked if a deal could include creating a legal status for undocumented workers, he answered affirmatively. He contrasted this view with that of "extreme right" factions, some of whom served in his government, who advocated for the expulsion of all undocumented residents.

The admission of policy severity coincided with a recent personnel change in the White House. On Friday, Trump promoted Stephen Miller, the architect of the mass deportation strategy, to the role of White House chief of staff. Miller replaced Susie Wiles in that position. The move occurred despite Trump's public acknowledgment that the enforcement tactics may have been politically damaging.

The president also addressed the Republican defeats in the recent midterms, attributing them to "bad communication." He stated that while he spoke constantly about the administration's achievements, the media did not cover the positive news sufficiently. "We couldn't convey the message," Trump said when pressed by CBS News reporter Ross Douthat. The White House has operated without a permanent press secretary since late August, following the departures of Karoline Leavitt and briefly, Katie Zacharia.

The interview also touched on the president's personal finances. Trump's net worth is reported by Forbes to be $7 billion, an increase of $2.7 billion since his reelection in 2024. His financial disclosures show $1.4 billion in cryptocurrency gains. Trump is a co-owner of World Liberty Financial, a cryptocurrency firm founded by his sons two years ago. Among the investors is Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a member of the Abu Dhabi royal family.

When Douthat compared this arrangement to the Biden family's business interests, Trump responded that he knew nothing about the foreign investors' motives. He said he did not know if they believed they were buying influence, noting that he would not know the details of the transactions.