Donald Trump has signalled further Trump Cabinet changes after Republicans suffered a crushing defeat in the midterm elections, saying he expects some members of his administration to leave as he resets his agenda for the final two years of his presidency.
In a wide-ranging interview with CBS’s 60 Minutes, recorded before the departure of White House chief of staff Susie Wiles was announced, Mr Trump said he was considering “a few changes” but declined to identify those who might go.
Asked whether he expected to dismiss anyone, the president replied: “I do. Yeah.” He added: “Little bit.”
“I love my Cabinet. I think they’re good. But I’ll be doing maybe a few changes. I don’t wanna mention who,” he said.
Mr Trump has since announced that Ms Wiles will leave her post. She is being replaced by Stephen Miller, a longtime ally who has been among the administration’s most influential figures on immigration.
The White House reshuffle could extend further. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s future has come under scrutiny after it was reported that Mr Trump had privately asked advisers whether he should remain in the role, although the president publicly defended him.
“They want to impeach him. Very unfair,” Mr Trump said, while claiming that the United States had won wars in Venezuela and Iran. “We had two wars, we won both.”
Trump admits voters were unhappy over Iran and gasoline prices
The possible Cabinet changes follow Republican losses in both chambers of Congress. Democrats captured more than 40 House seats and at least seven Senate seats, with some contests still unresolved.
Mr Trump acknowledged that voters had been unhappy with his handling of the conflict with Iran and the resulting rise in petrol prices.
“They didn’t like the war. They didn’t like the fact that gasoline went up,” he said, while arguing that his absence from the ballot had also affected Republican turnout.
He said some voters had stayed away, while others had been dissatisfied with the candidates put forward by the party. Mr Trump also conceded that his administration had failed to communicate its economic record effectively.
“I think it was bad messaging, maybe by me, but I would talk about it all the time. So I don’t know, how much can I talk about it?” he said.
Despite the election result, Mr Trump insisted that the economy was performing exceptionally well and predicted that voters would begin to see the benefits within months as new factories and manufacturing investment came online.
Immigration and Iran among priorities for final two years
The president also suggested that his administration’s immigration crackdown may have gone too far in some cases, while maintaining that the removal of dangerous criminals remained a priority.
“I think it might be too tough, yeah. And a lotta people would say that it’s great. But a lotta people think it’s too tough,” he said.
Mr Trump said undocumented workers who had spent years in the United States, including hotel employees and landscapers, deserved different consideration. He also expressed a willingness to negotiate with Democrats on immigration.
“I’d love to do something on immigration,” he said. Asked whether he could stop insulting Democrats for six months in order to reach a bipartisan agreement, he replied: “Very easily.”
On Iran, Mr Trump acknowledged that the conflict had damaged Republican election prospects, agreeing with Vice President JD Vance’s assessment. But he said he would make the decision to launch the war again.
“I think historically, this will be a very good decision. Is it a good decision for today and tomorrow? Maybe not,” he said, adding that he was not looking to intensify the fighting because he did not believe there was any reason to do so.
Looking towards the next Republican presidential contest, Mr Trump said he might endorse a candidate to replace him in 2028, although he stopped short of committing himself.
He praised Secretary of State Marco Rubio, saying: “I think Marco’s great,” while noting that the party had several possible successors. Asked whether his Make America Great Again movement could survive without him, he replied: “I think so. Because MAGA is basically common sense, you know?”
Mr Trump also said he intended to issue “tremendous numbers of pardons” before leaving the White House, arguing that people who had worked in his administration should not face years of legal battles.
Asked whether he planned to pardon himself, he replied: “I don’t,” while suggesting that the possibility was not entirely unreasonable.
