President-elect Donald Trump retreated on Tuesday from some of his campaign promises, dropping his vow to jail Hillary Clinton, expressing doubt about the value of torturing terrorism suspects and pledging to have an open mind about climate change.

But in a wide-ranging, interview with reporters and editors at The New York Times hour-long which had been scheduled, canceled and then reinstated after a dispute over the ground rules. Trump had been fiercely unapologetic about repeatedly flouting the traditional ethical and political conventions that have long shaped the American presidency.

He said that he had no obligation to establish drawlines between his business empire and his White House, conceding that the Trump brand “is certainly a hotter brand than it was before.” He defended , his chief strategist, Stephen K. Bannon against charges of racism, calling him a “decent guy.” And he savaged Republicans who failed to support him in his unorthodox White House bid.

By Prakriti Neogi