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The president said one of his biggest allies had gone “too far” with policy that helped doom the GOP.

Donald Trump turned against White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller’s hardline immigration policies after Melania Trump complained to the president that people she knew were being deported.

The president has eagerly backed Miller’s ambition to carry out the largest mass deportation program in U.S. history during Trump’s second term, and had even wanted the policy to go further.

However, after the first lady complained that people she knew were being swept up in the deportation drive, Trump told his aides that Miller’s aggressive immigration agenda had gone “too far,” sources told The Wall Street Journal.

Among those deported by ICE were former model Amanda Ungaro, the Brazilian ex-girlfriend of Paolo Zampolli—Trump’s former envoy and close friend, who claims he introduced the president to the first lady.

Republicans in key red states, including Texas and Florida, also complained to the White House about the extent of the administration’s deportation plans. Those targeted included nonviolent migrants working at construction sites, factories and Home Depot stores.

Miller’s hardline immigration policies were among a long list of reasons the Journal cited for Tuesday’s disastrous midterm results for the GOP, as Democrats rode a blue tsunami to seize control of the House and Senate and win several key gubernatorial races.

Voter backlash reached fever pitch earlier this year when two civilians, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, were shot and killed by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis.

Multiple Trump administration officials, including then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, attempted to label Good and Pretti “domestic terrorists” who had tried to harm federal agents, even as video footage contradicted those claims.

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Trump was concerned about the optics of the videos showing Good and Pretti being killed in the streets, sources told the Journal. He instructed then-press secretary Karoline Leavitt to distance him from comments attempting to portray the pair as terrorists.

Trump subsequently fired Noem and told his border czar, Tom Homan, to go to Minneapolis and “fix it.”

Voter backlash against Trump’s hardline immigration tactics remained an issue right up until Tuesday’s nationwide elections. Counties that were 80 percent or more Hispanic—a demographic that was vital to Trump’s 2024 election victory—favored Democrats by 40 percentage points.

Several other disastrous decisions by the deeply unpopular president ultimately contributed to the midterm massacre, most notably his decision to launch the war with Iran.

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In the spring, Trump was warned that the conflict in the Middle East, which caused gas prices to soar and further exacerbated the cost-of-living crisis for millions of Americans, would hurt Republicans in the midterms. Trump dismissed those concerns and insisted there was still plenty of time to “figure it out,” sources told the Journal.

The war in Iran has dragged on for more than eight months, with no end in sight.

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Trump also dismissed concerns when presented with polling showing that voters were deeply worried about his handling of the economy and affordability. He described the polling as “fake,” according to a senior administration official. In another meeting, Trump said he had not commissioned any polls during the 2016 election but had still won.

At times, Trump told aides he did not care about the midterms at all. The “America First” president grew bored with discussions of domestic issues and believed foreign policy and securing his legacy mattered more.

This included his obsession with building his $600 million White House ballroom.

Aides told the Journal it was a “waste of time” to try to convince Trump to stop talking about the ballroom and focus on issues voters cared about, as the president held several lengthy meetings a week about the renovation project and enjoyed giving tours.

The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for comment.

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