Donald Trump has admitted his deportation policy is "too tough" following the Republican Party's defeat in the midterm elections, which saw Democrats take control of both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
In his first major interview since the loss, Mr Trump said he thinks his administration was too aggressive on deportations. He maintained that he believes he can work with Democrats in the new Congress on some kind of immigration deal.
Democrats sweep Congress
Last week's midterm election saw Democrats take control of Congress, including in Texas, Kansas, South Carolina, Ohio, Maine and North Carolina, where Republican members had held Senate seats. Voters highlighted frustrations with the cost of living, tariffs and rising energy prices.
Following the results, Mr Trump claimed on Truth Social that Republicans would have won by a landslide if he had been on the ballot. "We'll work with the Democrats, and we'll, you know, look forward to working with them. We'll probably work something out," he was quoted as saying by the Times.
Interview on 60 Minutes
Speaking on CBS's 60 Minutes programme in an interview that aired on Sunday (November 8), Mr Trump said his deportation policy was part of the reason Republicans lost. He said: "I think it might be too tough, yeah... The deal would be we would work something out. And I think it's something — I think that's something that's actually doable."
While he did not give specifics about what that deal would look like, Mr Trump named Stephen Miller, the key architect of his immigration agenda, as his new chief of staff shortly after taping the interview on Friday (November 6).
Democrats respond
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer posted on social media after the interview aired: "Trump says his immigration crackdown went too far. Apparently, his solution was to put the man responsible for it in charge of the White House. That's not a course correction. That's a promotion."
Since returning to office, Mr Trump's immigration crackdown has been a prominent feature of his presidency, with major operations in multiple cities sending arrests soaring. During protests against the operations, two US citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, were killed by federal officers. According to Democrats, oversight of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) and the Department of Homeland Security is a priority for the new Congress.
Possible immigration deal and 2028 race
While he believes that "killers" and "drug dealers" in the country illegally should be deported, Mr Trump suggested he was open to a deal that would let others stay "if they're good people working in a landscaping company, or working in a hotel, or doing something, right? And in some cases, paying taxes."
Looking ahead to the 2028 presidential election, Mr Trump hinted at staying neutral when it comes to supporting a Republican to succeed him. Asked whether he would endorse a potential successor, he said: "Probably, not necessarily. We have a tremendous bench. I have so many people that I have great relationships with."
When quizzed on possible candidates other than vice-president JD Vance, Mr Trump only named Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is viewed as a possible 2028 contender. "I think Marco's great. But there are many others and I'd rather not mention their names. There's some senators that are excellent. I know 'em all, I like 'em a lot. So I may or may not get involved," Mr Trump said.
