Donald Trump defends White House transition progress

President-elect Trump is trying assemble his top team for the White House. Credit: Reuters/Carlo Allegri/File Photo

US President-elect Donald Trump has denied his transition to the White House is in disarray as he continues to try to appoint members of his top team.

In a series of tweets Mr Trump said he was "the only one who knows who the finalists are," as critics suggested he is struggling to contain division among his top aides.

On Tuesday Mr Trump met with the head of his transition team, Vice President-elect Mike Pence, who replaced New Jersey Governor Chris Christie in the role on Friday.

Media reports suggested Mr Trump's son-in-law and close adviser Jared Kushner was behind that replacement.

Mr Christie was attorney general in New Jersey when Mr Kushner's father was jailed in the state in 2004 for tax evasion, illegal campaign contributions and witness tampering.

Vice President-elect Mike Pence is head of Trump's transition team. Credit: Reuters/Carlo Allegri

Two members of Trump's transition team also left on Tuesday.

According to a report in the New York Times, former Congressman and House intelligence committee chairman Mike Rogers, who was handling national security for the transition and lobbyist Martin Freeman were both sacked.

But Mr Trump has insisted that the New York Times is reporting inaccurately.

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani has called the transition period "completely normal".

Mr Giuliani appears to be favourite for the secretary of state job.

But a Trump official said John Bolton, a former US ambassador to the United Nations, remained in contention for the high-profile position.

Businessman Carl Icahn disclosed on Twitter, based on conversations with the president-elect, that Mr Trump was considering Steve Mnuchin - a former Goldman Sachs banker - and Wilbur Ross - a billionaire investor - to lead the Treasury and Commerce departments.