Read · November 8, 2026

President Trump tells 60 Minutes' Ross Douthat his deportation policy might be too tough and hurt him in the midterms

• From the LeftCBS News: Trump tells 60 Minutes his deportation policy may have been 'too tough'; CBS adds exit polling and GOP pushback.

  Trump tells 60 Minutes deportations may have been 'too tough'; CBS adds exit polls and GOP pushback.

  Grade: B (81/100). Lehrer score 81/100 (starts at 85; +4 named, on-record sources (2+): Trump and Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar quoted by name; +4 other side quoted or given its response: "The administration has defended its approach, saying it is targeting public safety threats"; Salazar warns Hispanics "feel betrayed"; +2 context: background or what came before: 2024 border context and the Miller promotion; −4 loaded word or phrase in the outlet's own voice (rule 2/7/13): "jarring losses" in its own voice; −5 unnamed source on a side point, or a figure with no stated source (rule 11): "a reversal that many voters linked at least in part to Mr. Trump's immigration crackdown" with no source; −5 unnamed source on a side point, or a figure with no stated source (rule 11): "In exit polling, 58% think..." with no named poll). Fixed scale: 90+ A, 80s B, 70s C, 60s D, under 60 F → B.

• CenterNewsweek: Newsweek pairs Trump's 'too tough' remark with Schumer, Rep. Maria Salazar and a former DHS official.

  Newsweek pairs Trump's 'too tough' remark with Schumer, Rep. Maria Salazar and a former DHS official.

  Grade: B (88/100). Lehrer score 88/100 (starts at 85; +4 named, on-record sources (2+): Adam Klein, Chuck Schumer, Rep. Maria Salazar and Rep. Rob Menendez quoted by name; +4 other side quoted or given its response: Schumer and Menendez reply; "Newsweek reached out to the Department of Homeland Security"; +3 primary document linked or cited (filing, ruling, data release, statement): "U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has said that over the past 17 months there have been no releases"; +2 context: background or what came before: "Immigration laws have largely gone unchanged since the early 1990s"; −5 unnamed source on a side point, or a figure with no stated source (rule 11): "the president's MAGA base took to X saying they were against any kind of amnesty" with no one named; −5 unnamed source on a side point, or a figure with no stated source (rule 11): "Immigration did not poll as highly as the cost of living" with no poll named). Fixed scale: 90+ A, 80s B, 70s C, 60s D, under 60 F → B.

• From the RightFox News: Fox says Trump 'admitted' he may have been too tough and cites a Fox News Voter poll on immigration.

  Fox says Trump 'admitted' he may have been too tough and cites a Fox News Voter poll on immigration.

  Grade: C (75/100). Lehrer score 75/100 (starts at 85; +2 one named, on-record source: Trump quoted at length; +2 key numbers sourced: "a Fox News voter poll of more than 100,000 registered voters nationwide from Oct. 19 to Nov. 3, 2026"; +2 context: background or what came before: Talarico and the possible immigration deal; −4 loaded word or phrase in the outlet's own voice (rule 2/7/13): in-text headline "CONSERVATIVES STUNNED BY 'CATASTROPHIC' MIDTERM BLUE TSUNAMI"; −6 unlabeled claim, analysis or opinion in the outlet's own voice (rule 2/10): "which likely led to his policies facing backlash" in its own voice; −6 leaves out a fact or voice the other two pieces report / one side only (rule 5/13): leaves out that Trump named Stephen Miller chief of staff, which CBS and Newsweek both report). Fixed scale: 90+ A, 80s B, 70s C, 60s D, under 60 F → C.

See it on the Read page · All stories from November 6, 2026 · How we grade · Previous story · Next story