Trump Blurts Out Hint of Weakness on ICE as Camps Anger MAGA Country

THE DAILY BLAST with Greg Sargent

The New Republic

News, Politics

4.4 • 800 Ratings

🗓️ 5 February 2026

⏱️ 21 minutes

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Summary

Donald Trump just claimed in an interview that the events in Minnesota suggest that ICE needs to use a “softer touch.” He also struggled to create the impression that he’s been working constructively with local officials there. While all this is just spin, it reveals an awareness that these events have put him in a politically weak position. Indeed, this comes as Trump’s plans for vast migrant prison camps are hitting angry opposition in unlikely places: In a deep red, partly rural county in Virginia; among Republican officials in other states; and even in Mississippi, where a GOP Senator has come out against a planned camp there. We talked to Brian Beutler, who’s been arguing on his excellent “Off Message” Substack that Dems need to take charge of debates like these. We dig into the surprisingly robust backlash against Trump on immigration, why the prison camps present a big opportunity for Democrats, and why they must abandon the idea that Trump’s 2024 win showed a big cultural shift against immigrants. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	This is the Daily Blast from the New Republic, produced and presented by the DSR Network.
0:16.4	I'm your host, Greg Sargent.
0:28.8	Donald Trump just showed weakness.
0:33.8	He admitted in an interview that the events in Minnesota have persuaded him that ICE needs to use a softer touch, and he claimed he's been working constructively
0:38.8	with local officials there, something he almost never says.
0:43.6	This comes as Trump's plans to scale up vast new prison camps for migrants are running into
0:49.0	stiff opposition, even in red areas.
0:52.2	Meanwhile, a new poll shows that ICE ISIS standing with the public is cratering
0:56.3	in all kinds of surprising ways. We think this has major implications for how Democrats should proceed
1:03.1	now, and that's why we're talking to Brian Boytler, who's been arguing on his substack off-message
1:08.6	that Dems need to take charge of these big debates a lot more
1:12.5	effectively. Brian, always good to see you, man. It's great to be back. So let's start with this
1:17.8	interesting exchange that Trump had with an NBC news reporter. Mr. President, speaking of
1:22.9	Minneapolis, what did you learn? I learned that maybe we can use a little bit of a softer touch, but you still have to be tough.
1:34.1	These are criminals.
1:34.7	We're dealing with really hard criminals.
1:38.0	But look, I've called the people.
1:40.1	I've called the governor.
1:41.1	I've called the mayor, spoke to them, had great conversations with
1:44.3	them, and then I see them ranting and raving out there, literally as though a call wasn't made.
1:49.9	Note that Trump wants to be seen working constructively with officials like Minnesota Governor
1:54.5	Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. Brian, you've written endlessly about how Trump routinely
	...

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