Extended Interview: President Trump on 60 Minutes

Trump weighs election results

Asked why Republicans suffered major losses, Trump said he had not been on the ballot, though he had campaigned for some candidates. He argued that his own popularity and large rallies did not necessarily translate into support for those candidates.

Trump also cited public opposition to war, higher gasoline prices and Israel. He said voters had to transfer their support to candidates they did not like.

Vance’s analysis and Iran

The interview aired days after Vice President J.D. Vance published his view of what went wrong. Vance identified four concerns among disaffected Republicans: ending the war, addressing living costs and inflation, putting America first, and changing the relationship with Israel.

Trump said he did not disagree with Vance’s assessment, but wished Vance had addressed the decision to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. Trump said he believed the decision was right for the country and would prove beneficial historically, though he acknowledged it might not be popular in the short term.

Economy and public messaging

Douthat noted that polls showed Americans were dissatisfied with the economy and asked whether that was all due to the Iran war. Trump rejected that explanation, saying economic figures were strong and the stock market had reached its highest level in history.

Trump suggested Republicans had failed to communicate their message effectively. He also said news outlets did not give positive Republican news enough coverage, leaving him to publicize it himself.

Possible future endorsement

Douthat asked whether Trump would endorse a Republican nominee in two years. Trump said he probably would, but added that it was not certain. He mentioned Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as possible choices, along with unnamed senators. Trump said he might stay out of the decision, adding that he had strong relationships with many potential candidates.