According to Maggie Haberman, a Times reporter who covers Trump, the president-elect also told Times journalists that he was surprised to hear that the retired Marine general does not approve of waterboarding — a tactic he has promised to bring back despite widespread disapproval of the banned interrogation technique within the military.

"Trump says he is 'seriously considering' Mattis for DoD, says he asked Mattis about waterboarding, was surprised he didn't favor it," Haberman tweeted.

Reporters and opinion writers had gathered to ask Trump on-the-record questions during his visit to the newspaper's offices in New York.