Trump’s “60 Minutes” interview: 10 key points

President Donald Trump defended his handling of the economy and the Iran war after Republican midterm losses, while admitting poor economic messaging hurt his administration and that his immigration crackdown was “too tough.”

The interview aired Sunday, November 8, 2026, with CBS’s Ross Douthat, days after the midterms.

Here are the 10 biggest takeaways from the interview, as reported by CNN and Yahoo News:

1. Midterm losses: Trump took no personal blame for the Republican defeats. He said “I think they didn’t vote, really,” pointing to low turnout, his absence from the ballot and weak candidates.

2. Economy and messaging: He called the economic numbers “phenomenal” but admitted “we couldn’t get the word across,” treating the problem as one of communication, not policy.

3. Immigration “too tough”: He gave himself an “A+” for closing the border but said deportation policy “was too tough. I think it might be too tough,” especially for long-settled immigrants without serious crimes.

4. Iran war: Asked whether he would do it again, he gave an “emphatic yes,” though he later said he is “not looking to” escalate now. He also said he wished Vance had been more supportive.

5. 2028 succession: He said he would “probably” endorse a successor, “not necessarily,” and added “maybe I’m better off not getting involved.” He praised Rubio (“I think Marco’s great”) and mentioned Vance.

6. Personnel: He expected “maybe a few changes” and voiced confidence in Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Soon after, it was announced that Susie Wiles would leave as chief of staff, to be replaced by Stephen Miller, the architect of his immigration policy.

7. Pardons: He said he plans “tremendous numbers of pardons” before leaving office. He doesn’t expect to pardon himself, but called the idea “certainly not unreasonable.”

8. Family wealth: He said “I devote almost no time to my net worth” and that his sons run the family business. On their stock trades he said, “I have no idea what the hell they’re buying.” He added that “every president has a problem” with outsiders seeking favour. CNN notes the family’s crypto ventures have reportedly brought in over $1 billion.

9. Forgiving enemies: Asked whether he could forgive his foes, he said “I do hate some of my enemies, and I always will.”

10. UFOs: He said military pilots he met “have told me things that are very strange.”