Donald Trump acknowledged on Sunday that his administration’s deportation policy ‘might have been too tough,’ an admission that underscored the political damage from the crackdown. The concession came ahead of the first day of Stephen Miller, the hardline architect of the policy, as White House chief of staff.
In his first major interview since the Republican Party lost control of the House of Representatives and the Senate in the midterm elections, Trump told CBS’s 60 Minutes that the policy had hurt him politically. “I think it was too tough,” he said. “And a lot of people would say that it’s great. But a lot of people think it’s too tough.” He opened the door to an immigration deal with the new Democratic-controlled Congress, saying: “We would work something out. I think that’s something that’s actually doable.”
The sweeping Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, a defining initiative of Trump’s second term, have drawn widespread protests. Raids at workplaces and homes have ensnared people with no criminal records, and federal agents fatally shot two US citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, during operations in Minneapolis.
The promotion of Miller, who designed the policy, appeared to contradict the president’s admission that it might have been too tough. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said in a post on X: “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.”
Trump said he believed a deal could continue deporting people convicted of serious crimes while allowing some long-term undocumented residents to stay. “Let the people that are here, and in some cases here for 10 and 15 years, work a deal for them,” he said. The president said he believed some Democrats were receptive.
Separately, Trump said he was “only kidding” when he offered the job of press secretary to Ultimate Fighting Championship boss Dana White. The president also said he would meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the APEC summit in China next week to discuss ending the Iran war. Before that, he is due to hold talks with Qatar’s prime minister at the White House on Monday. A deportation flight carrying Iranian nationals bound for Iran by way of Pakistan was abruptly canceled on Sunday, according to an attorney representing some of the detainees.
In the wide-ranging 60 Minutes interview, Trump signaled openness to safeguards for artificial intelligence: “I don’t mind guardrails,” he said. He said he could not forgive his political enemies. Asked about the 2028 presidential race, he said of endorsing a successor: “Probably. Not necessarily.”
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Trump’s concession on deportations signals a potential major shift in the administration’s signature domestic policy after the midterm repudiation, though his simultaneous promotion of Stephen Miller creates immediate confusion about whether the policy will genuinely soften.
- The offer of a deal with the new Democratic majority sets up a defining legislative fight in the next Congress over the fate of millions of undocumented residents.
- The president’s foreign-policy push, including meetings with Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, places the Iran war and broader Middle East strategy at the centre of the post-midterm agenda.
Background
Trump returned to office in 2025 promising a sweeping immigration crackdown. This included large-scale ICE raids and a travel ban, designed by aide Stephen Miller. The policy faced widespread protests and became a central issue in the 2026 midterm elections, where Republicans lost control of both chambers of Congress.
Key Perspectives
- Donald Trump: Says the deportation policy “might have been too tough” and hurt Republicans at the polls, but argues the underlying goal of removing criminals was correct. He has offered to work with Democrats on a compromise that would target serious offenders while allowing long-term residents to stay.
- Chuck Schumer (Senate Democratic Leader): Argues that promoting Miller shows the administration has no intention of actually changing course, calling it “not a course correction. That’s a promotion.”
What to Watch
- Trump’s meetings with Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin at APEC next week, aimed at ending the Iran war, and whether they produce any concrete steps toward a ceasefire or broader negotiations.
- Whether the Trump administration follows through on a deportation deal with the new Democratic Congress, and what form it takes.
- The fate of the cancelled deportation flight for Iranian nationals, which may signal broader operational changes or legal challenges ahead.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 3 sources: 11 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedTrump said on Sunday that his deportation policy was too tough, quoting: “I think it was too tough,” followed by “And a lot of people would say that it’s great. But a lot of people think it’s too tough.”World news | The Guardian: ““I think it was too tough,” he said. “I think it might be too tough, yeah. And a lot of people would say that it’s great. But a lot of people think it’s too tough.””
- Partly supportedTrump said he could work out an immigration deal with Democrats, quoting: “We would work something out. I think that’s something that’s actually doable.”World news | The Guardian: “We would work something out. And I think it’s something - I think that’s something that’s actually doable.”
- SupportedTrump appointed Stephen Miller, described as the architect of his immigration policy, as White House chief of staff.DW English: “shortly after the interview he appointed Stephen Miller, who designed the Trump administration's hardline deportation policy, as his chief of staff.”
- SupportedThe summary says Trump opened the door to an immigration deal with Democrats after midterm losses.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “He said he may be able to work with the new Democratic-controlled Congress on some kind of immigration agreement.”
- SupportedTrump’s first major interview since his party lost control of the House and Senate was with CBS’s 60 Minutes.World news | The Guardian: “The president said, in his first major interview since his party lost control of the House and Senate in the midterm elections, that his deportation policy was part of the reason Republicans lost. He told CBS’s ‘60 Minutes’ in an interview that aired on Sunday”
- SupportedSchumer posted that Trump said the crackdown went too far, and that putting Miller in charge was “not a course correction” but “a promotion.”Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “In a post on X, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said, “Trump says his immigration crackdown went too far”, adding, “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.””
- SupportedTrump said: “Let the people that are here, and in some cases here for 10 and 15 years, work a deal for them.”World news | The Guardian: ““Let the people that are here, and in some cases here for 10 and 15 years, work a deal for them,” he said.”
- SupportedTrump said he was “only kidding” about offering Dana White the press secretary job.World news | The Guardian: “Donald Trump said on Sunday that he “was only kidding” when he announced a day earlier that he had offered the job of White House press secretary to Dana White”
- SupportedTrump said, “I don’t mind guardrails,” about safeguards for artificial intelligence.World news | The Guardian: ““I don’t mind guardrails,” he told 60 Minutes.”
- SupportedAsked about endorsing a successor in the 2028 presidential race, Trump said: “Probably. Not necessarily.”World news | The Guardian: “Asked whether he expected to endorse a successor, Trump replied: “Probably. Not necessarily.””
- SupportedRaids at workplaces and homes had ensnared people with no criminal records.World news | The Guardian: “Since Trump returned to office, sweeping Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids at workplaces, homes and public spaces have ensnared people with no criminal records”
- SupportedTrump said he would meet Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin at the APEC summit in China the following week to discuss ending the Iran war.DW English: “Trump on Sunday said that he will be meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin at an APEC leaders' summit in China next week to discuss ending the Iran war .”