FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump sits behind a bill he signed to end the partial government shutdown, at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 3, 2026. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo
President Donald Trump stunned observers by admitting his administration may need a “softer touch” on immigration enforcement in Minneapolis, a sharp reversal from his long-defended deportation hard line. The comments, made in an NBC News interview, prompted former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson to suggest on CNN that internal pressure—and sinking poll numbers—finally broke through. While Carlson welcomed the brief show of empathy, she warned it may be fleeting, noting Trump quickly reverted to form days later, raising doubts that the shift reflected anything more than the influence of the last voice in his ear.