Trump vows to defer to Pentagon chief’s opposition to torture

US President Donald Trump speaks during a joint press conference with Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May in the East Room of the White House on January 27, 2017 in Washington, DC.
MANDEL NGAN / AFP

US President Donald Trump said Friday that he will defer to his Pentagon chief regarding interrogation techniques widely condemned as torture, although he himself continues to support their use.
Defense Secretary James Mattis “will override because I’m giving him that power,” Trump told a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Theresa May. “He is an expert. He is highly respected.”

“And he has stated publicly that he does not necessarily believe in torture or waterboarding or however you want to define it — enhanced interrogation I guess would be words that a lot of people would like to use,” Trump said, adding that he himself does “not necessarily agree.”