Trump lays out what's to come for rest of his presidency while revealing he may be making 'a few changes' to his Cabinet

President Donald Trump said he's preparing to make further changes to his Cabinet as he works on his agenda for the final two years of his presidency following the Republican Party's crushing midterm election defeat.

The president admitted that some members of his administration could be heading for the exit while outlining his plans for immigration, the economy and the ongoing war with Iran in a wide-ranging interview with CBS 60 Minutes.

Trump also revealed he was considering issuing a huge number of presidential pardons before leaving office and hinted at who might succeed him as the Republican Party's leader in 2028.

Asked by correspondent Ross Douthat whether he expected to fire anyone following the election losses, Trump replied: 'I do. Yeah.' 'Little bit,' he added.

'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, just hours before Trump announced that White House chief of staff Susie Wiles would be leaving her position.

Wiles, who submitted her resignation on Thursday night, is being replaced by longtime Trump loyalist Stephen Miller, who 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 is considering making further changes to his Cabinet following the Republican Party's crushing midterm election defeat

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

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

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

CBS reported that Trump had privately asked advisers whether Hegseth should remain in his position, although 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, defending what he characterized as American military victories in Venezuela and Iran.

'We had two wars, we won both.'

The potential personnel changes come after Republicans suffered a devastating defeat in last week's midterm elections, losing control of both the House and Senate.

Democrats captured more than 40 House seats and at least seven Senate seats, with some contests still unresolved.

Trump acknowledged that voters were unhappy with his handling of the Iran conflict and the resulting surge in gasoline prices.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has faced questions over his future, although 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, although the president has stopped short of endorsing him as a candidate

Secretary of State Marco Rubio was singled out for praise by Trump, who described him 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 that his absence from the ballot was a major reason Republicans struggled, 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 that his administration had failed to convince Americans that 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 that the economy was performing exceptionally well and predicted voters would begin feeling the benefits within months as new factories and manufacturing investments came online.

His plans for the remainder of his presidency also 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 the revelations during a wide-ranging interview with 60 Minutes correspondent Ross Douthat, right, outlining his plans for the final two years of his presidency

Trump said he loves his Cabinet but admitted he could be making 'a few changes' as his administration adjusts to Democrats taking control of Congress

Trump defended his decision to launch the war against Iran despite agreeing with Vance that the unpopular conflict contributed to Republicans' midterm losses.

Trump argued that although removing dangerous criminals remained a priority, there were people who had worked in America for years, including hotel employees and landscapers, who deserved different consideration.

He also signaled a willingness to negotiate with the newly empowered Democrats.

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

Asked whether he could stop insulting Democrats for six months if it meant securing a bipartisan agreement, Trump responded: 'Very easily.'

On Iran, however, the president showed little willingness to reconsider his decision to launch the war, despite acknowledging its political consequences.

He agreed with Vice President JD Vance's assessment that the conflict had damaged Republican election prospects but insisted the military action was justified.

Asked whether he would make the same decision again, Trump said his answer was an 'emphatic yes.'

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

Nevertheless, he insisted he had no immediate plans to intensify the fighting.

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

Trump insisted his economic policies were working despite voters' concerns over rising costs, admitting that poor messaging may have contributed to the Republican defeat

Trump acknowledged that his administration's aggressive deportation crackdown may have gone too far, suggesting some hardworking undocumented immigrants deserved different treatment. Pictured, ICE agents conduct immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis

Trump defended the war against Iran as a necessary decision to prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons, but insisted he was not looking to escalate the conflict further. Pictured, strikes are seen hitting the Iranian capital Tehran in March

Looking further ahead, Trump suggested he might endorse a Republican candidate to replace him in 2028, although he stopped short of making a commitment.

'Probably. Not necessarily,' he said when asked about an endorsement.

He praised Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is considered a potential rival to Vance for the Republican nomination.

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

And when asked whether his MAGA movement could survive without him at the helm, Trump replied: 'I think so. Because MAGA is basically common sense, you know?' 

The president also revealed that he intends to make extensive use of his pardon powers before his time in the White House comes to an end.

'I intend to issue tremendous numbers of pardons,' he declared, saying he wanted to protect people who had worked in his administration from potentially facing years of legal battles.

But when asked whether he planned to pardon himself, Trump responded: 'I don't,' while suggesting that the possibility was not entirely unreasonable.

With Democrats preparing to take control of Congress, Trump now faces two years of divided government, potential investigations and difficult negotiations.