Trump on Vance blaming Iran war for midterms loss: "Historically this will be a very good decision"

[0:00] All right, let's begin this hour with that exclusive 60 Minutes interview with President [0:03] Trump following major GOP losses in the midterms. The president discussed a wide range of topics, [0:09] including the Iran war, whether he would replace part of his cabinet, and whether he'll endorse [0:14] a candidate for the 2028 presidential election. Here's what he said about why he thinks Republicans [0:19] lost in the midterms. I was not on the ballot, but I campaigned hard for some people. [0:24] And I think if I was on the ballot, it would have been a much different situation. We had [0:30] massive rallies. You had to transfer those voters, however, to candidates that they didn't like. But [0:36] there's something beyond that. They didn't like the war. They didn't like the fact that gasoline went [0:42] up because I had it down at a low. And there's a great dislike, incredibly, for Israel. [0:49] For more, let's bring in CBS News senior White House and political correspondent Ed O'Keefe. [0:54] So, Ed, the president, they're addressing a social media post by Vice President Vance [0:58] saying that the reason they lost the election was because of the war. [1:03] How did he respond to that in the interview? [1:06] Well, it was among many revealing answers to the questions from Russ Douthat. Why don't we [1:12] take a listen to what he had to say? The only thing I wish he would have said there, [1:20] if he felt it, and you'd have to ask him about that. But if you had it to do again, would you do it? [1:25] I think the opportunity is part of a decision-making process. And my answer is an emphatic yes, [1:29] because you can't let Iran have a nuclear weapon. I think historically, this will be a very good [1:34] decision. Is it a good decision for today and tomorrow? Maybe not. But, you know, I have to go [1:40] with what's right for our country. If they had a nuclear weapon during my term, I would be excoriated, [1:46] far worse than what's happened. So, you know, as you saw there, obviously some level of disagreement. [1:54] I thought it was also interesting, later in the interview, the president was asked about 2028 [1:58] specifically whether he would engage, whether he would endorse anyone, and the president wouldn't [2:03] necessarily commit to that. I'm just keeping an eye over my shoulder here, guys, because it looked like [2:07] there might be something going on out there. We'll let you know, not to cause any alarm. But, [2:11] so, obviously, though, what's telling from this whole interview is the fact, A, the president [2:18] has come to grips with the results, understands that he's going to have to find some kind of a way [2:23] to work with Democrats on policy and seek some kind of cooperation. The difficulty, obviously, [2:30] is going to be in how exactly he proceeds with that, which I think is the subject of your next [2:35] question, Vlad. Yeah, you got exactly that right, Ed. You know, the president says he wants [2:41] to work with Democrats. You know what he told 60 Minutes when he was asked if he could forgive his [2:46] political opponents, but let's play it for our viewers. I found them to be extremely dishonest [2:51] people, very bad people, very bad for our country. I love our country far more than I can love [2:55] people and people like that. Is the answer no? The answer is no. I want to be honest. I probably [3:00] cannot do that now because I do hate some of my enemies, and I always will. Pretty wild there, Ed. [3:07] He'd rather go to hell. I mean, that was the basis of Ross's question, right? He asked it from a very [3:13] theological standpoint. He talked about being at the judgment gate, and the president said, [3:20] you know, got to be honest. I hate them, and I always will. [3:24] Yeah, and look, if you're somebody who has closely followed the president and his attitude on life and [3:30] how to deal with those that you negotiate with or are at odds with, it is totally consistent [3:35] with his behavior. But to your point, it was asked in a theological sense or a sort of end-of-life [3:41] sense, and the president clearly conceded there that he might have a conflict with that [3:46] if and when judgment day comes, and how he would respond to questions from the Almighty about it. [3:53] The kind of answer, I think, that will get played back years, decades from now, when students are [3:59] assessing Trump the man, Trump the president, Trump the iconic and historic American figure. [4:05] But Ross really did try to pin him down there and suggested that even though, as Ross said, [4:11] he is a charmed and lucky American, he would not be able to forgive his enemies. [4:16] And that will, you know, be a factor in how negotiations with Democrats go in the coming months. [4:22] There will be some expectation from the president of level-headedness and respect and sort of an [4:27] above-board approach to dealing with policy and the things they might try to negotiate over. [4:32] But if and when the impeachment saga begins or the investigations begin into the administration [4:37] and to his family, the rhetoric and the approach used by Democrats will factor into how he responds. [4:43] And whether he can sort of allow accountability and maybe focusing on issues like affordability [4:50] to go down dual tracks or whether he'll derail the other one at the expense of the other. [4:56] Ed, I also want to ask you about this whole Dana White saga. [4:59] You know, the president is saying that that offer to make UFC head Dana White, [5:03] his press secretary, was actually a joke. [5:06] But we also understand that that Dana White is heading to the White House today for a meeting with Trump. [5:11] So what more can you tell us about that? [5:13] We know they've met before. [5:14] And remember, White hosted the UFC event here over the July or back in June [5:21] when they obviously held that massive event here. [5:26] Not expected to be the press secretary. [5:28] With Stephen Miller now in charge, we may get some better sense of staffing going forward here [5:32] in the coming hours or days. [5:34] All right. [5:34] Ed O'Keefe, thank you. [5:37] President Trump did admit to one misstep. [5:39] It was the administration's aggressive immigration crackdown. [5:43] Here's what he said. [5:44] I think it both helped and hurt. [5:47] I think I got an A-plus for closing up the border. [5:50] I get very high marks for getting the bad ones out. [5:52] But I get hurt because we also took people that had good jobs [5:57] that created one violation for breaking of the law, [6:01] and that was that they came into the country illegally. [6:04] So you think your deportation policy went too far? [6:07] It was too tough. [6:07] I think it might be too tough, yeah. [6:09] But his new chief of staff is the architect of that policy. [6:13] With Stephen Miller taking over the role today, [6:15] many are skeptical about any change [6:16] in the administration's approach to immigration. [6:19] Let's bring in CBS News homeland security correspondent, Nicole Skanga. [6:24] Nicole, I want to ask you, you've clearly, [6:27] the American people sent a message to this administration [6:30] about how they feel about some of the policies, [6:32] specifically as it relates to immigration and others, [6:35] the economy and the war. [6:36] But as it relates to immigration, [6:37] as we look ahead to this new Congress that's coming in in January, [6:42] what can they do? [6:43] I mean, people need to understand, [6:44] because you got a lot of politicians talking, [6:46] what is the power of Congress to rein in [6:48] some of the immigration policies that the president has put forth? [6:51] Because there's immigration policy as decided by executive order, [6:55] and then there are actual laws that the president is using [6:57] to deport some people. [6:58] Well, Vlad, we should remind our viewers [7:01] that we have not had a comprehensive bipartisan immigration reform [7:05] since the Reagan administration, [7:07] and certainly Congress can act to create immigration reform. [7:13] I think in that interview with Ross Dutat on 60 Minutes, [7:17] the president even referenced a willingness [7:20] to work together with members of Congress [7:22] to perhaps create legal pathways [7:25] for those who have been working in the United States [7:28] but are technically not U.S. citizens, [7:31] that are technically not here with documents, [7:34] to perhaps create some sort of pipeline for those individuals, [7:37] and certainly that is within Congress's capacity. [7:41] In the meantime, what we have seen by this administration [7:44] and largely put forward and championed by Stephen Miller [7:47] are a series of executive actions [7:50] that the Trump administration has undertook [7:52] both in this administration [7:54] and during the first administration [7:56] to push not only border security, [7:59] but also interior enforcement. [8:01] And so, you know, mass deportations, [8:03] we know that Stephen Miller has really pushed [8:06] both then-secretary Christine Ohm [8:08] and now-secretary Mark Wayne Mullen [8:11] at the Department of Homeland Security [8:12] to arrest as many as 3,000 undocumented migrants a day, [8:17] championing, invoking the alien enemies [8:20] in the United States Act of 1798 [8:21] to deport dozens of individuals [8:24] to stay caught in El Salvador earlier [8:26] in this administration. [8:27] During the first Trump administration, [8:29] championed that travel ban, [8:31] you know, largely nixing travel [8:33] from Muslim-majority countries, [8:36] supporting restrictions on birthright citizenship, [8:39] championing expanded immigration enforcement [8:42] funding in Congress to the tune of $170 billion. [8:46] So the question now of will anything change? [8:49] Will suddenly Stephen Miller as White House Chief of Staff [8:53] be willing to work with lawmakers and others? [8:56] I think many were surprised to hear [8:59] the president say on 60 Minutes [9:02] that he believes that they were too hard on deportations [9:05] and at the same time is elevating [9:07] the very man who championed those deportations [9:10] to chief of staff, you know, [9:12] certainly there's a bit of contrast here. [9:15] But to answer your original question, [9:17] yes, of course, Congress has ultimately [9:19] the power to push forward immigration enforcement. [9:22] And I think the president, [9:23] given that 57% of Americans, [9:26] according to our polling, [9:27] thought he went too far with immigration reform, [9:29] would be remiss to veto something like that. [9:31] Yeah, and you talked there, Nicole, [9:34] about this sort of idea of duality, right? [9:36] Promoting someone and at the same time [9:38] saying maybe we went too far. [9:40] I mean, how are lawmakers, [9:41] especially those within the Trump administration, [9:43] reacting to this appointment? [9:46] Well, we certainly saw, you know, [9:48] Congressman Robert Garcia, [9:49] who is the chair of the House Oversight Committee, [9:52] immediately say lawyer up [9:54] and suggest that there could be investigations [9:56] and certainly oversight into Stephen Miller [9:58] and others within the administration. [10:00] We did then see the attorney general, Todd Blanche, [10:03] push back on that. [10:04] Take a listen. [10:06] Disgusting to see them not even wait [10:08] till the week is out [10:09] before actually laying their cards on the table. [10:12] I mean, you have Garcia saying [10:13] minutes after Stephen Miller was promoted [10:16] to be the chief of staff [10:18] to the president of the United States of America, [10:20] telling him to lawyer up. [10:22] Well, I'll tell you what, [10:23] Stephen Miller has a lawyer. [10:25] It's me. [10:26] It's me and the entire Department of Justice. [10:29] We should note that Stephen Miller's [10:31] personal attorney is not [10:32] the attorney general, Todd Blanche, here. [10:34] Thank you, Nicole. [10:35] I was about to say. [10:38] This does not give, you know, [10:39] Miller blanket protection [10:41] from congressional investigations, [10:43] the fact that Todd Blanche did speak up. [10:45] Obviously, after that comment was made, [10:47] Congressman Garcia pushed back, [10:49] saying that Blanche represents [10:50] the Justice Department [10:51] and the American people, [10:52] not Miller personally, [10:54] and that he, you know, [10:55] sort of doubled down on his promises [10:56] that investigations will proceed. [10:58] But it's going to be a couple [11:00] of interesting weeks, Vlad, [11:02] both to see, you know, [11:04] what Congress does, [11:05] particularly starting in January, [11:07] and to see the pushback. [11:09] Yeah, because, I mean, [11:10] the notion that an attorney general [11:11] would suggest to the American people [11:13] on national television [11:14] that he is somehow the lawyer [11:16] for the chief of staff [11:18] of the president of the United States [11:19] when he, in fact, [11:20] is the highest law enforcement officer [11:21] in the country [11:22] and meant to represent us, the people. [11:24] Also, by the way, [11:24] it's not uncommon for politicians, [11:27] both Democrat and Republican, [11:28] to make these kinds of promises. [11:30] Mitch McConnell, [11:31] the day after Barack Obama [11:32] was inaugurated, [11:33] said that he intended [11:34] to make President Obama [11:36] a one-term president. [11:37] I mean, and so, [11:38] this is what happens. [11:40] The fact that the attorney general [11:41] was disgusted, [11:42] that says a lot more about him [11:44] than about what these politicians [11:45] are attempting to do [11:46] when they hit Congress in January. [11:49] Nicole, thank you, as always. [11:50] Appreciate it. [11:50] Thank you.