TRUMP: Secretary of Defense James Mattis authorized to 'override' me on torture

President Donald Trump said Friday that he had authorized newly minted Secretary of Defense James Mattis to "override" him on decisions related to whether the US employs enhanced interrogation techniques.

Trump, an unabashed supporter of interrogation techniques like waterboarding, noted that Mattis "does not necessarily believe in torture or waterboarding or however you want to define it."

"I don't necessarily agree, but I will tell you that he will override because I am giving him that power," Trump said. "He is an expert. He is highly respected. He is the general's general."

"So I'm going to rely on him," Trump later added. "I happen to feel that it does work. I have been open for a long period of time. But I am going with our leaders and we are going to win with or without."

Trump made the comments during a joint news conference with UK Prime Minister Theresa May. Trump met earlier in the day with May in what was the new president's first official meeting with a foreign leader.