play

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said immigration enforcement officials “haven’t gone far enough” in deporting people who are in the country without legal authorization, in a wide-ranging interview on “60 Minutes” on CBS.

Trump also insisted to Norah O’Donnell that China wouldn’t invade Taiwan while he is president. He said the subject didn’t come up during his meeting on Oct. 30 with China’s President Xi Jinping.

And Trump repeated his call to end the Senate filibuster, which allows a minority of lawmakers to block contentious legislation, as a way to end the government shutdown.

Here is what to know about the interview conducted Oct. 31 at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida:

Trump: ICE agents ‘haven’t gone far enough’

O’Donnell asked Trump whether Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents had gone too far in tackling a mother, using tear gas in a Chicago neighborhood, and smashing car windows.

“No. I think they haven’t gone far enough because we’ve been held back by the judges, by the liberal judges that were put in by Biden and by Obama,” Trump said.

O’Donnell followed up by asking if Trump was OK with those tactics.

“Yeah, because you have to get the people out,” Trump said. “You have to look at the people. Many of them are murderers. Many of them are people that were thrown out of their countries because they were, you know, criminals.”

Trump on China talks: ‘I can’t give away my secrets’

O’Donnell said it could become a flashpoint in international relations if China encroaches on Taiwan’s shipping lanes, its airspace, or cyberspace. She asked what Trump would do in response.

Trump refused to detail what would happen but said Xi understands the consequences would be significant. Trump said his counterpart’s understanding is so clear that the subject didn’t come up during their trade meeting in South Korea.

“I can’t give away my secrets,” Trump said. “I don’t want to be one of these guys that tells you exactly what’s gonna happen if something happens.”

Trump insisted Xi knows what would happen if China attacked Taiwan.

“He has openly said, and his people have openly said at meetings, ‘We would never do anything while President Trump is president,’ because they know the consequences,” Trump said.

Trump says Maduro’s days in Venezuela are numbered

The Trump administration has sunk several Venezuelan boats allegedly carrying drugs and has deployed an aircraft carrier to the region.

Trump refused to say whether he sought to topple Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s regime, but said his days are numbered.

“I would say yeah. I think so, yeah,” Trump said.

Trump refused to speak about reports that he is considering an attack on Venezuelan land, in addition to the strikes on ships.

“I’m not saying it’s true or untrue,” Trump said. “But I would be inclined to say that I would do that because I don’t talk to a reporter about whether or not I’m going to strike.”

Trump urges end to filibuster

The government shutdown will become the longest in history on Nov. 5. Trump said he expects Democrats to eventually agree to reopen the government.

Democrats have held out to restore Medicaid funding cuts during the summer and extend subsidies under the Affordable Care Act.

“They’ve become crazed lunatics,” Trump said. “I’m not going to do it by extortion.”

Trump urged Republicans to abolish the Senate filibuster to avoid the parliamentary block on ending the shutdown without cooperation from Democrats. But GOP leaders are opposed to ending the filibuster for legislation.

“The Republicans have to get tougher,” Trump said.

Government shutdown: Trump urges Senate Republicans to scrap filibuster rule

Trump denies retribution in prosecuting critics

The Justice Department secured indictments against Trump critics, including former national security adviser John Bolton, former FBI Director James Comey, and New York Attorney General Letitia James. But Trump denied directing the Justice Department to prosecute his critics.

“No, not in any way, shape or form,” Trump said.

Trump said Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel pursued his opponents on their own.

“The honest people that we have go after them automatically,” Trump said. “I think I’ve been very mild-mannered.”

Trump calls Mamdani ‘communist’ in New York mayor’s race

New York City’s mayoral race ends Nov. 4. Trump has lobbied against the election of Zohran Mamdani, the front-runner in the polls against former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa.

Trump cut off O’Donnell as she described Mamdani as a “democratic socialist,” the banner he campaigns under, by arguing that he is a “communist.”

“Communist, not socialist,” Trump said. “He’s far worse than a socialist.”

Trump said the federal government wouldn’t support New York if Mamdani were mayor. “It’s going to be hard for me as president to give money to New York,” he added.

O’Donnell asked what he thought of people comparing Mamdani to Trump as a charismatic leader breaking old rules.

“Well, I think I’m a much better-looking person than him, right?” Trump said.