Trump, in First Post-Midterm 60 Minutes Interview, Keeps 2028 Options Open While Praising Marco Rubio
By Hotspotnews
Days after Republicans suffered major midterm losses—losing control of both the House and Senate—President Donald Trump sat down with CBS News’ 60 Minutes correspondent Ross Douthat. The interview, taped at the White House on Friday and aired Sunday, November 8, 2026, marked Trump’s first sit-down since the elections. In it, he addressed the results, his administration’s record, and the future of the Republican Party after his term ends in 2028.
VIDEO IN THE LINK👇
Midterm Losses and Self-Reflection
Trump attributed the Republican setbacks primarily to his absence from the ballot, arguing that his personal popularity and rally turnout did not fully transfer to endorsed candidates. He also pointed to voter dissatisfaction with the ongoing conflict involving Iran and rising gasoline prices. On the economy, he described the numbers as “phenomenal,” citing strong stock markets and 401(k) performance, but conceded “bad messaging” may have prevented the public from fully appreciating the gains. He predicted Americans would feel the benefits more clearly in the coming months.
On immigration—a key issue in 2024 that helped drive his victory—Trump gave his border policies an “A+” for reducing crossings but said the interior enforcement approach “might be too tough.” He distinguished between removing “the bad ones” and deporting long-term residents with jobs who had only the violation of illegal entry. He expressed openness to working with the new Democratic majorities on immigration legislation, including possible legal status for some workers.
Regarding the Iran conflict, Trump largely agreed with Vice President JD Vance’s public assessment that the war contributed to midterm losses, while adding that he would make the same decision again to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. He said he is “not looking to” escalate further and believes a deal remains possible, though the election results may have given Tehran more leverage.
2028 Succession and the Republican Bench
The interview turned to the 2028 presidential race with roughly two years remaining. When Douthat asked whether Trump would endorse a Republican successor, the president replied, “Probably. Not necessarily.” He described the party as having “a tremendous bench” of people with whom he has strong relationships.
Asked specifically who would be on the list besides Vice President JD Vance, Trump named only one person by name: “Well, I think Marco’s great.” He added that Secretary of State Marco Rubio “certainly loves it and he’s doing great. He’s doing a fantastic job,” and indicated he expects Rubio to remain in the role. Trump declined to name others but said “there’s some senators that are excellent. I know ’em all, I like ’em a lot.” He suggested he might ultimately stay out of the primary, noting, “Maybe I’m better off not getting involved,” while observing that his endorsement has historically carried significant weight.
These comments align with earlier remarks in which Trump has praised both Vance and Rubio, at times describing a potential Vance-Rubio ticket as difficult to beat, without formally choosing sides. Rubio has previously stated he intends to serve through the end of Trump’s term and has declined to discuss 2028 ambitions.
MAGA’s Future
On whether the Make America Great Again movement can continue without him as its central figure, Trump was affirmative: “I think so. Because MAGA is basically common sense, you know? MAGA’s strong borders, good military. We have created wealth at a level that our country has never seen before.”
The interview also touched on other topics, including plans for additional pardons, questions about personal finances and cryptocurrency holdings, possible further personnel changes (shortly after the taping, Trump announced Stephen Miller would replace Susie Wiles as chief of staff), and reflections on mortality following assassination attempts.
Trump’s measured tone on the midterm results and his deliberately open-ended stance on 2028 succession have drawn attention as the Republican Party begins to look past his presidency. With Vance and Rubio as the most frequently mentioned potential heirs, and Trump signaling both confidence in the bench and a possible preference for neutrality, the next two years are likely to feature continued speculation about the direction of the post-Trump GOP.
Sources
- CBS News, “10 takeaways from Trump’s 60 Minutes interview” (Nov. 8, 2026): https://www.cbsnews.com/news/10-takeaways-from-trump-60-minutes-interview/
- CBS News, full transcript of the Nov. 8, 2026 60 Minutes interview with Ross Douthat: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/donald-trump-2026-post-midterm-elections-interview-60-minutes-transcript/
- Original X post by @EricLDaugh sharing the clip (Nov. 9, 2026): https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/2119588106248544292
- Additional coverage: Newsweek, TRT World, and other outlets reporting on the 2028 remarks (Nov. 8–9, 2026)
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