US President Donald Trump has acknowledged that his administration's immigration and deportation enforcement was "too tough" at times, conceding in an interview that excessive removals damaged Republicans in their midterm election defeat.
"For getting people out, I get very high marks for getting the bad ones out," Trump told CBS News programme 60 Minutes.
"But I get hurt because we also took people that had good jobs, that created one violation, or breaking of the law, and that was that they came into the country illegally."
He observed that whilst part of the country favoured deportations, many believed some settled individuals should remain: "So I think it was too tough."
Exit polls indicated that 58 percent of voters viewed his immigration measures as having gone too far, prompting significant shifts among Latino voters back to Democrats.
Trump added that he would "love to do something on immigration" with congressional Democrats, even as hardliner Stephen Miller replaced outgoing Chief of Staff, Susie Wiles.
Midterm election defeat
Addressing the loss of more than 40 House seats and at least seven Senate seats, Trump said voters "didn't like the war" with Iran or accompanying fuel price spikes, but maintained the decisive factor was his absence from the ticket.
"I think the primary reason was that I was not on the ballot," Trump said, adding that his supporters "didn't vote, really" or in some instances "didn't like the candidates."
When challenged over personal endorsements such as Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over incumbent Senator John Cornyn, Trump insisted Cornyn "would have lost also."
Following the vote, Vice President JD Vance declared online that the "real reason we lost is obvious... the war."
Trump confirmed Vance consulted him prior to posting, stating he agreed with the diagnosis with one caveat: "If you had to do it again, would you go and attack Iran?"
Trump responded with an "emphatic yes", asserting the degraded nuclear programme justified the political cost: "Historically, this will be a very good decision.
Is it a good decision for today and tomorrow? Maybe not."
He affirmed he is "not looking to" escalate hostilities further.
UFO disclosures
Turning to unexplained anomalous phenomena (UAPs), or UFOs, Trump said Air Force pilots—whom he described as grounded professionals—regularly reported baffling encounters.
"I'm not too much of a believer, but I sat in the Oval Office... meeting with Air Force pilots that are really good, solid people," Trump said.
"They're the real deal. And they've told me things that are very strange."
