By , Mark Osborne

November 8, 2026 / 7:00 PM EST / CBS News

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Could President Trump forgive his opponents if it meant eternal paradise? That's a question Ross Douthat asked Mr. Trump in an interview for 60 Minutes, which aired Sunday night.

When asked what he thinks happens when he dies, Mr. Trump told Douthat, "I'm a religious person, so in theory, I go to heaven."

Douthat posed the question: "Let's say you pass away, you're entering the next life, and all you have to do to enter paradise is feel love and forgiveness for James Comey, Nancy Pelosi, anyone who you have expressed hate for over the years. Do you think you can do it?"

"Well, then I wouldn't be real, would I?" Mr. Trump said, calling them "extremely dishonest people, very bad people, very bad for our country."

Douthat asked: "Is the answer no, then?"

"The answer is no. I want to be honest, no," Trump replied.

Douthat continued: "Mr.…