Donald Trump tells Megyn Kelly he does not regret 'hitting back' during campaign

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It had been billed as the interview of the year: a face-to-face between Donald Trump and Megyn Kelly, the Fox News journalist whom he insulted after an election campaign debate.

In the end, the interview broadcast on Tuesday night was essentially underwhelming; Ms Kelly pushed firmly but politely at Mr Trump, but the New York tycoon gave little away.

Asked if he regretted anything since their high-profile “clash” nine months ago, when the billionaire appeared to suggest Ms Kelly had asked tough questions of him because she was having her period, Mr Trump suggested he was sorry about very little.

“I have regrets, I could have done things differently, I could have used language [differently],” said Trump. “But I am happy with the outcome. If I had been soft, I had been ‘presidential’, if I had not hit back, I don’t think I would have been successful.”

Mr Trump said that that while he had been outspoken about number of people, he claimed that in most cases he was only defending himself.

“I’m a counter-puncher,” Mr Trump said. “I respond pretty strongly, but in just about all cases I’ve been responding to what they did to me.”

Ms Kelly said that Mr Trump had retweeted a number of messages on social media that had referred to her as a “bimbo”. “Did I say that,” Mr Trump asked. “Many times,” she replied. Mr Trump added: “Ok, sorry. I will stop it about you now.”

Ms Kelly said she was less concerned about her own feelings but the example Mr Trump was setting for young women, who might she such language coming from someone running for the presidency.

She said imagined him composing his tweets while sitting in a dressing gown.

“After 7pm or 8pm I do them myself,” Mr Trump said. “But during the day I have people and I will call out a tweet to them. I don’t do it physically.”