Trump admits immigration policy was 'too tough'

United States President Donald Trump has admitted that his sweeping anti-immigration and deportation policy was "too tough", and that it ultimately hurt him in the midterm elections.

Trump made the remarks in an interview on CBS's "60 Minutes" programme. The interview was recorded on Friday. It was his first extended sit-down interview since the midterm elections.

In the interview, Trump said: "It was too tough. I think, yeah, it might have been too tough. And ultimately it hurt me."

The interview was conducted by CBS News correspondent Ross Douthat, who asked whether Trump's strict immigration and deportation enforcement had contributed to Republican losses. In last week's midterm elections, Democrats won overwhelming victories, including in Republican strongholds such as Texas.

Trump said: "I think it both helped and hurt. I think I got an A-plus for closing up the border. I get very high marks for getting the bad ones out."

He claimed that 25 million people came into the country through Biden over a four-year period, and that many of them were from prisons, were drug dealers, or came from mental institutions.

Trump conceded, however, that many people who entered the country illegally were "good" people, and that this was likely why his policies faced backlash.

He said: "When you go to a hotel, you see a woman who is a cleaner, a sweeper, a waitress, or doing all sorts of work. She is doing a very good job. But suddenly she is being thrown out of the country. It is tough, really tough."

Trump added: "But there is a group, I would call them hard right. They want everybody thrown out." Asked whether his administration holds that view, he said: "There are many people like that."

He went on: "Then there are people who are more flexible. That is, throw out the murderers, the criminals and the drug dealers. But for those who are here, some of whom have lived here for 10 or 15 years, find a path to a deal."

When Douthat asked whether his deportation policy had gone too far, Trump replied: "I think it was too tough. I think it might be too tough, yeah. And I think ultimately that hurt me."

The president also suggested that an immigration deal with the incoming Democratic Congress could be "doable". He said many Democrats are willing to work with him to enforce the border, and named incoming Texas Senator-elect James Talarico as an example.

A few hours after the interview was recorded, it was announced that Stephen Miller, Trump's longtime aide known for his hardline stance on immigration, would become the new White House chief of staff, replacing Susie Wiles.

A Fox News voter poll of more than 100,000 registered voters nationwide from October 19 to November 3, 2026, found that immigration was the only issue on which Republicans led Democrats.

In the interview, Trump signalled a willingness to compromise, saying he would keep the door open to talks with Democrats.