Florida Republican Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar went on CBS’s Face the Nation on Sunday following an ad in which she accused President Donald Trump of having “betrayed” Hispanics. Host Margaret Brennan brought up the commercial and asked whether the president had accepted any of her advice after the two spoke.
Salazar called it a very good conversation. She said the president was a gentleman, very courteous, and very receptive. She said she told him, “Sir, you have this- this moment in history where you can keep the pot of gold that you brought to the GOP in 2024.”
She said she covered Spanish television for 35 years and told him, “No other president was able to convince the Hispanics to vote 55 points for a GOP president. Please preserve that fortune that you have brought to the party.” She said the party needs to keep winning elections because of what she described as a very big threat from socialists on the Democratic side.
Salazar said she was warning Trump, not attacking him, over advice from aides
Salazar said she also told the president, “Remember, sir, that you are the only guy who can do this.” She said they then had a fantastic conversation and that she hoped he listened to what she was saying.
Brennan asked if Trump has a different definition of criminality than Salazar does, because the administration argues that anyone who entered the country undocumented should be deported. Salazar replied, “You know very well, immigration is a very toxic topic.” She said it is a very complex topic and that the average American knows two things.
She said 70% of the polls say the average American wants some type of immigration reform law, and that she presented legislation called the Dignity Act five years ago. She said the average American also understands the difference between the narco and the nanny and the gangster and the gardener.
When Brennan said the president does not, Salazar argued, “The president does too.” She said he had stated over the last two years that there are good people picking up the jalapeno peppers and working in agricultural, construction, hospitality, healthcare, and manufacturing. She said he is a construction and hospitality guy who gets it more than anybody.
Salazar said she told him he could fix this mess that has been happening for 40 years. Her defense of the president comes as other Republicans have turned on his administration, such as when senators called for Pete Hegseth’s firing.
She said he is the only person who can do it because he is a businessman with the political ability to convince both parties to vote for this legislation or any immigration reform. She said, “All I’m trying to do, I’m coming from a very good place. I am a proud Republican.”
Brennan said it did not sound like he agreed to take her advice and noted that the ad also said he is getting bad advice from his advisers. Salazar said, “I think that some of his advisers are compromising his legacy.” She said it is her duty not to attack and that there are no attacks here, only a forewarning that some of his advisers are just not presenting the whole picture.
Brennan asked whether she meant DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, Tom Homan, or Stephen Miller. Salazar said he is the only elected official in the White House and the one who has to determine who he listens to. She said, “What I’m doing is I’m coming from an elevated emotion. I’m coming from a good place. I’m telling him, ‘Sir, look what you did. Don’t squander it.’”
Mediaite points out that the ad stunned the political world on Thursday and infuriated many MAGA influencers, calling it the most direct attack on Trump from a Republican in an ad this election cycle.
The political pressure on Salazar comes as Trump’s approval ratings have hit new lows, with the GOP facing the prospect of losing the House and Senate. Recent polls show Salazar locked in a very tight race with Democratic opponent Elliot Rodriguez in a district Trump won by nearly 15 points in 2024, and Salazar won by 20 points.
Published: Sep 21, 2026 05:40 am