WASHINGTON, D.C. — Former Secretary of State John Kerry acknowledged in a recent interview that Donald Trump was “right” about the importance of securing the U.S. border and said Democrats failed to act decisively on immigration policy.
In a candid appearance on the BBC’s Reflections podcast, Kerry, who also served as President Biden’s climate envoy, said the Democratic Party allowed the southern border to fall “under siege.”
“The first thing any president — or anyone in public life — should say is, ‘Without a protected border, you don’t have a nation.’ I believe that,” Kerry told host James Naughtie. “If you’re going to define your nation, you have to have a border that means something.”
He went on to say he wished President Biden had been clearer in his messaging:
“I wish President Biden had been heard more often saying, ‘I’m going to enforce the law.’”
“He Was Right” – Kerry on Trump’s Border Message
Naughtie pointed out that Trump would likely seize on Kerry’s comments as validation of his border policies.
“He was right,” Kerry responded. “The problem is, we all should have been right — doing the same thing, moving in the same direction.”
Kerry, who served as Secretary of State under Barack Obama and was the Democratic presidential nominee in 2004, also revealed he had told President Biden directly that the party had mishandled the issue.
“They just allowed the border to continue to be under siege,” he said.
Kerry also criticized Democrats for backing an immigration bill that was ultimately opposed by Republicans and then-President Trump, arguing that it failed to address the underlying security concerns.
Trump’s Second-Term Immigration Crackdown
President Donald Trump, now in his second term, has made immigration enforcement a top priority, launching nationwide deportation operations and ramping up border security efforts.
Data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) show the early impact of these efforts. Between June 1 and June 22, agents recorded 5,414 apprehensions, with 986 known “gotaways.” Both figures represent record lows, CBP officials confirmed.
By comparison, in May 2024 under the Biden administration, there were nearly 118,000 apprehensions at the border. That number has since plummeted to just under 9,000 in May 2025.
Trump’s immigration policies have also included high-profile visits to detention facilities and renewed enforcement actions led by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who joined the president on a tour of a secure migrant holding site in southern Florida earlier this month.
On Biden’s Re-Election Decision
In the same BBC interview, Kerry was also asked whether President Biden should have announced earlier that he would not seek re-election.
“I think in retrospect, that’s pretty clear. It answers itself,” Kerry said.
Pressed further on whether he thought Biden knew that earlier, Kerry declined to speculate.
“He’s my friend, and he did a hell of a job. I don’t think he’s gotten enough credit for what a great president he was,” he said.
