Immigration: Trump Concedes Enforcement Strategy Cost Republicans Midterm Seats
The president stated on Sunday that removing law-abiding undocumented workers was overly aggressive and suggested a pathway to legal status could serve as a bipartisan compromise.
By Adrian Kovalenko ·
President Donald Trump stated on Sunday that his administration's immigration enforcement measures were overly aggressive and contributed to the Republican Party's performance in the recent midterm elections.
In an interview on CBS' 60 Minutes, recorded on Friday and aired on Sunday, Trump described the policy of mass deportations as having been too tough. He acknowledged that the approach negatively affected the party's electoral prospects by alienating voters who supported retaining undocumented immigrants who had not committed crimes.
The president explained that the administration removed individuals who held good jobs and had only one violation, which was entering the country illegally. Trump noted that a large group of people believe these individuals, who work in sectors such as landscaping or hotels and sometimes pay taxes, should be permitted to remain in the United States.
He identified immigration as a primary area for potential cooperation with Democrats. When asked if a deal could involve creating legal status for undocumented workers, Trump responded affirmatively. He contrasted this pragmatic approach with the views of those on the far right within his administration, whom he said preferred to remove everyone.
Trump attributed the Republican midterm losses largely to poor communication rather than just policy specifics. He stated that the media did not cover positive news sufficiently, forcing him to disseminate information himself. He told interviewer Ross Douthat that the core message failed to reach the public effectively.
The comment on communication came during a period when the White House had operated without a full-time press secretary since late August. Karoline Leavitt left the administration, and her brief replacement, Katie Zacharia, departed after five days in the role.
The interview also covered the president's financial position. Douthat asked about the increase in Trump's net worth, which Forbes reported has risen by approximately $2.7 billion since his 2024 election. Trump's total net worth is currently valued at $7 billion. His financial disclosure forms indicate he has earned $1.4 billion in cryptocurrency.
Trump stated that he devotes almost no time to monitoring his finances and does not know the exact current value. He said one of his sons manages the money and that they do not discuss financial matters. The president's sons founded World Liberty Financial two years ago, a company in which Trump is a co-owner.
The company's investors include Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a member of the Abu Dhabi royal family and the national security adviser for the United Arab Emirates. When Douthat suggested that a similar arrangement involving the Biden family might appear corrupt, Trump replied that his stake is different because he knows nothing about the company's operations.
He added that he did not know if foreign investors believed they were purchasing influence. On Friday, Trump promoted Stephen Miller, the architect of the mass deportation policy, to White House chief of staff, replacing Susie Wiles. Miller had been a vocal proponent of the enforcement strategies Trump later described as too tough.
