Donald Trump performs U-turn on campaign promises, angers conservatives

US president-elect Donald Trump has angered his conservative supporters who are voicing their frustration and disappointment at his comments that he might back off from his campaign promises including prosecuting former Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton.

In an interview with the New York Times, on Tuesday, Trump took a more compassionate tone toward Clinton than during his campaign, when he talked about a possible criminal investigation of the former Secretary of States, he often dubbed "Crooked Hillary" if he became president.

She went through a lot and suffered greatly in many different ways, and I am not looking to hurt them at all. The campaign was vicious, Trump told the Times, adding that launching an investigation was "not something I feel very strongly about.

This did not go down well with conservatives who had relished in the possibility of Trump prosecuting Clinton.

Trump also made U-turns on several other pledges. Here's what he's said in the past and what he's saying now:

On climate change

Then: "The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make US manufacturing non-competitive." (2012 tweet). "Global warming is an expensive hoax!" (January 2014 tweet).

Now: "I think there is some connectivity (between human activity and climate change). Some, something. It depends on how much." "I'm looking at (withdrawing from climate change accords) very closely. I have an open mind to it.

On prosecuting Hillary Clinton.

Then: "If I win, I am going to instruct my attorney general to get a special prosecutor to look into your situation because there has never been so many lies, so much deception." (October 9 debate).

Now: "It's just not something that I feel very strongly about. ... I think it would be very, very divisive for the country." - On pursuing criminal charges against the Clintons.

On Ben Carson

Then: "It's in the (Carson's memoir) that he's got a pathological temper. ... That's a big problem because you don't cure that ... as an example: child molesting. You don't cure these people." (November 12, 2015, CNN interview).

Now: "I am seriously considering Dr Ben Carson as the head of (housing and urban development). I've gotten to know him well - he's a greatly talented person who loves people!" (November 22 tweet).

On President Barack Obama.

Then: "He will go down as one of the worst presidents in the history of our country." (July 27 interview with NBC).

Now: "I really liked him a lot" (After meeting Obama at the White House)

On Libel Laws.

Then: "We ought to open up the libel laws, and I'm going to do that." (February 27 interview on Fox News).

Now: Says someone told him, "You know, you might be sued a lot more." "I said, 'You know, I hadn't thought of that."'

On the New York Times.

Then: "No paper is more corrupt than the failing New York Times. The good news is it is failing, it won't be around too much longer. But they are really, really bad people." (October 14 rally).

Now: "I have great respect for the New York Times. I have tremendous respect." But he adds: "I think I've been treated very rough."

Associated Press