President Trump made a surprise call to C-SPAN on Monday night, using the premiere of the network’s new evening program to defend War Secretary Pete Hegseth and his administration’s immigration record.
Trump phoned into “Washington Journal Primetime,” where host Mimi Geerges announced that a call was coming in from the White House. The roughly eight-minute conversation covered immigration, the Iran war and the House effort to impeach Hegseth. Before Trump began speaking, a woman could be heard laughing in the background. Neither Trump nor the host addressed it.
On immigration, Geerges asked whether law-abiding immigrants who pay taxes and have lived in the U.S. for years, including hotel workers, waitresses and farm workers, would be spared from deportation.
Trump first pointed to the border, saying his administration stopped what he described as a massive inflow of criminals and gang members under former President Biden. He then acknowledged that working immigrants have not been targeted the same way.
“We certainly haven’t put the same push on them as we have on the murderers or the drug dealers,” Trump said.
He called the issue a tough one, noting that some on the far right want deportations regardless of whether an illegal immigrant is working. Trump also signaled a willingness to work out a deal for people who have been in the country for 10 to 15 years. Earlier Monday, however, he told reporters at the White House that there would be no amnesty and that his policy had not changed.
The comments come days after Trump promoted Stephen Miller, the architect of his hardline immigration agenda, to White House chief of staff.
Geerges also asked Trump how he would react if Republicans voted to impeach Hegseth. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., filed eight articles of impeachment against the War Secretary on Monday, setting up a possible House vote as early as Tuesday.
“Well, I would be disappointed,” Trump said, adding that Hegseth “has won two wars.”
Earlier in the evening, Trump held an impromptu press conference at the White House alongside UFC boss Dana White, where he again defended Hegseth and touted the administration’s record in Iran and Venezuela.
When asked how much longer the conflict with Iran could last, Trump said it depended on whether an agreement could be reached. He also warned that any additional U.S. strike on Iran could be five times larger than the first.
The call capped a busy day of damage control for the White House, which has faced mounting criticism from within the Republican Party following last week’s midterm losses.
[READ MORE: Trump Says He’ll Stand by Hegseth After Massie Files Impeachment Articles]
