Donald Trump told CBS's 60 Minutes that his deportation policy was "too tough," marking the first time the president has publicly acknowledged that the centerpiece of his second-term domestic agenda became a political liability. The concession came days after Republicans suffered what multiple accounts describe as a disastrous midterm defeat — and days after Trump elevated Stephen Miller, the architect of the very crackdown he now criticizes, to White House chief of staff. The contradiction is structural, not accidental. Trump's proposed deal — allow undocumented residents of 10-15 years to stay while continuing to deport violent criminals — is a position that would have been unremarkable in 2013 Republican politics. What's changed is not the policy landscape but the electoral math. ICE raids ensnared workers with no criminal records, separated families, and in two cases in Minneapolis, federal agents fatally shot US citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti during operations. The human costs became political costs. Trump attributed the midterm losses to a combination of the Iran war, rising petrol prices, and what he characterized as growing dislike of Israel — largely echoing JD Vance's post-election analysis. He defended the military campaign against Iran as necessary to prevent nuclear proliferation, saying "you can't let Iran have a nuclear weapon," while conceding its short-term unpopularity. The framing — "historically, this will be a very good decision" — is a president asking for credit on a timeline that extends past the next election cycle. On personal wealth, the interview exposed a gap between Trump's explanation and observable reality. Forbes estimated his net worth increased by $3 billion between autumn 2024 and autumn 2025. Trump attributed the gains to general market performance and said his son manages his finances. Forbes senior editor Dan Alexander publicly challenged this account, identifying cryptocurrency ventures generating over $1 billion in proceeds, appreciation of retained tokens, expanded overseas licensing, and the removal of a nearly $500 million civil fraud penalty as concrete sources of enrichment. Trump's response to questions about World Liberty Financial — "I know nothing about it" — while being listed as co-owner strains credulity. The AI remarks represent a notable shift in positioning. Trump signaled openness to guardrails on artificial intelligence after previously favoring industry self-regulation, though the caveat — "I don't wanna put us in a deep second position" — suggests any regulation would be designed to preserve competitive advantage rather than address systemic risk. On the 2028 succession, Trump kept his options deliberately open, praising Marco Rubio while declining to rule out other contenders and saying he would "probably" endorse but "not necessarily." The MAGA movement's future, he argued, rests on principles — strong borders, strong military — rather than any individual. The final exchange was the most revealing: asked whether he could forgive political opponents before the judgment of God, Trump said flatly, "I probably cannot do that, no, because I do hate some of my enemies and I always will." Asked what single line would define his presidency, he answered: "That I made America great again."
