Trump Acknowledges 'Cruelty' of Immigration Policies... Refuses to Forgive Rivals

US President Donald Trump offered the most comprehensive assessment to date of the historic losses suffered by the Republican Party in the congressional elections held on November 3, appearing to issue an invitation to Democrats to work together on the contentious issue of immigration.

In an interview with CBS’s “60 Minutes,” broadcast on Sunday evening, Trump avoided taking any personal responsibility for the crushing defeat, despite his approval ratings sinking to record lows. He attributed the outcome to the inability of Republican candidates to translate his personal popularity into electoral gains.

Although he acknowledged that aspects of his policies lacked public appeal, he made clear that he was not in a mood to make concessions on most issues, as Democrats prepare to take control of the majority in Congress on January 3.

He also admitted that his administration’s tough stance on immigration—which saw thousands of undocumented migrants arrested and deported—was unpopular and overly harsh. “It was too harsh. I think it was perhaps too harsh,” he said, specifically referring to migrants who have lived in the country for ten years or more without committing serious crimes.

This marked a notable admission from the president that the issue central to his campaign had, within two years, become politically toxic. Reports from within the administration indicate that Trump expressed reservations about some of the methods his administration used in pursuing migrants.

Nevertheless, it remains unclear whether Trump is considering any changes to his immigration agenda, despite acknowledging its excessive harshness, especially since he recently appointed Stephen Miller, the architect of those policies, as a senior White House official.

The interview, conducted with Republican journalist Russ Douthat of CBS, concluded with a revealing exchange on whether Trump could forgive his opponents, even before facing the final reckoning.

Trump said, “I think they were very bad people, and I don’t like—I can use the word—I hate—yes, I hate some of my enemies.” He added, “Maybe I shouldn’t say that now, but I do hate some of my enemies, and I always will.”

This statement came in response to a question that began by referencing an incident last year at the funeral of the late activist Charlie Kirk, where his widow, Erica, publicly forgave the man accused of killing him. Moments later, Trump took the stage to declare, “I hate my enemies, and I wish them no good.”

Trump has compiled a long list of grievances, ranging from Democrats and other officials who led investigations against him during his first term, to competing politicians who opposed his agenda.

Although he has occasionally expressed a desire for reconciliation—including last week when he signaled readiness to work with Democrats who now hold greater influence—his usual approach has remained focused on invoking what he considers injustices done to him.

When Vice President JD Vance wrote last week that the war with Iran was a cause of the Republicans’ crushing defeats, Trump seemed largely to endorse him. But a few days later, Trump clarified his position differently, saying he wished his vice president had shown greater support for the conflict, even while assessing its political repercussions.

He continued, “The only thing I wish he had said—if that’s really how he feels, and you have to ask him about it: If he had the chance to make the decision again, would he do it? He’s part of the decision-making process. And my answer is: Yes, absolutely.”

The president noted that Vance had spoken with him beforehand about what he had written regarding Iran, but it appeared they had not delved into the details of the lengthy article.

He recounted the details of their conversation, saying, “He asked me, ‘What do you think?’ I told him, ‘Write what you feel.’ By the way, what are you going to write?”

Vance’s writings on Iran had been widely interpreted in Washington as an attempt by the vice president to gauge his political stance, paving the way for a potential future presidential run.

During the interview, the president hinted that Vance would not automatically receive his endorsement if he decided to enter the presidential race, adding that he might prefer not to endorse any candidate at all.

When asked about the possibility of endorsing Vance, he replied, “Maybe. Not necessarily,” and later added, “It might be better if I don’t intervene.”

When questioned about other names that might make his shortlist, besides Vance, Trump praised Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

He said, “I think Marco is great. He certainly loves this job, and he does it excellently; he’s doing a fantastic job. There are other names being considered, but I prefer not to mention them. There are some excellent senators; I know them all and hold them in high regard.”

As he approaches the final stage of his presidency, Trump will have to contend with the reality of a Republican Party that may ultimately seek to move beyond his era and transition to new leadership. He said he still believes his endorsement carries significant weight within the party.

He continued, “I think my endorsement would play a major role if I decided to offer it. My ability to influence through endorsements has been very strong.”

The sharpest part of the interview came when Dutta pressed Trump on the extensive business interests of his family, including their cryptocurrency activities, which had drawn accusations of corruption from Democrats.

Trump said that one of his sons, whom he described as “an honest and very good man,” manages his money, and that most of it is “given to the largest companies on Wall Street for investment.”

The president earned more than $1 billion from various cryptocurrency companies launched by him and his sons shortly before he took the oath of office.

He insisted that he does not interfere in projects that generate income for his family, although he has not completely divested from his business interests.

He added, “How can you liquidate cash? I’ve been heavily criticized because I believe they traded nearly 50,000 shares; that’s what they do. Everything is done through computer systems. I don’t know exactly what they are buying.”