Trump Calls Into C-SPAN’s New Evening Program

Donald Trump called into the debut of C-SPAN’s Washington Journal Primetime on November 9, congratulating host Mimi Geerges and discussing his reasons for watching the network’s call-in programs. The unscheduled conversation also touched on immigration, a possible further U.S. strike on Iran and efforts to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Trump said he watches callers because their comments give him an indication of public opinion. The broadcast clip records him saying he follows the calls to understand “where we are.” He also said Republican callers appeared pleased with the country’s direction, while Democrats seemed less enthusiastic.

Geerges asked Trump about immigration enforcement and workers in sectors including agriculture and hospitality. Trump said his administration had not applied the same pressure to waitresses and farmworkers as to other people targeted by enforcement. He also said the country had gone 17 months without anyone entering illegally. That statement was his account; the report discussing it separately cited 17 straight months of zero Border Patrol releases and 98,708 preliminary apprehensions at the southwest border in the year through September,...