Trump says deportation policy 'too tough' days after naming Stephen Miller chief of staff
By Vera, Vocemundi ·
By Vera, Vocemundi · 2026-11-09
U.S. President Donald Trump said his mass deportation policy was "too tough" in an interview with CBS aired on Sunday, 8 November 2026.
The remarks came two days after Trump appointed Stephen Miller as his White House chief of staff on Friday, 6 November 2026. Both The Hindu and Le Monde described Miller as the architect of Trump's hardline immigration policy.
The interview
According to The Hindu, Trump made the remarks on CBS's "60 Minutes" program in response to a question about his deportation policy. The Hindu quoted him as saying: "I think it was too tough...I think it might be too tough."
The Hindu reported that CBS published an excerpt of the interview on X before the full interview was broadcast on network television later on Sunday.
According to The Hindu, the interview was recorded after the Republican Party's midterm election losses on Tuesday. The newspaper described those losses as heavy.
Context
The Hindu reported that Trump has won some domestic support for securing the U.S. southern border. It also reported that his administration's effort to deport millions of undocumented migrants has drawn widespread criticism.
According to The Hindu, Miller backed federal agents who shot and killed two Americans earlier in 2026. The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not give details of that shooting. They do not include the date, the location, the agencies involved or the outcome of any investigation.
What each side says
Trump said his deportation policy was, or might be, "too tough," according to The Hindu and Le Monde. The reports do not include any response from the White House, Miller, the Department of Homeland Security or Republican leaders.
What the reports do not show
- The full, unedited exchange. The Hindu's quote contains an ellipsis, and the exact question is not given.
- Whether Trump indicated any planned change to deportation policy or enforcement.
- How the remarks relate to Miller's appointment two days earlier.
- Election results supporting the description of the Republican losses as "heavy."
- Who the policy's critics are, or the evidence for the "widespread criticism."
The Hindu attributes Trump's remarks to an excerpt of the CBS interview published on X ahead of the broadcast; Le Monde attributes them to the CBS interview aired Sunday. Le Monde's account was available to Vocemundi only as a brief summary.
Analysis
The remarks and the appointment may appear to point in different directions. The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not explain how they relate. One possibility is that the comments signal a reassessment of enforcement after the midterm results. Another is that they reflect a change in tone without a change in policy. A third is that they have no lasting effect. Which of these applies, if any, may become clearer through future administration statements, enforcement decisions or Miller's actions as chief of staff. Without the full exchange or official responses, the meaning of the remarks remains open to interpretation.
Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.
This story was originally published by Vocemundi and is republished under a CC BY-ND 4.0 license. How we verified this story.
Originally published by Vocemundi Wire — English
