Trump’s team courts Democrats Joe Biden and Bill de Blasio

Donald Trump is making overtures to Democrats including Joe Biden and NY Mayor Bill de Blasio.

Vice president-elect Mike Pence, left, with Vice-President Joe Biden in Washington.

Donald Trump is making overtures to Democrats as his transition efforts ramp up, meeting with New York Mayor Bill de Blasio and signalling support for a public works building program similar to one his partisan opponents have long favoured.

Mr Trump hosted the Democratic mayor at Trump Tower in New York yesterday, while vice-president-elect Mike Pence met Joe Biden in Washington.

The Vice-President said he was “confident” the government would be “in good hands”.

Mr Pence, who heads the Trump transition team, was expected to meet overnight with house Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi and senator Chuck Schumer of New York, who was chosen this week as the minority leader.

Mr Pence’s portfolio will include shepherding the new president’s agenda through the house and Senate.

Mr Trump last year called Mr de Blasio “the worst mayor in the US”, while Mr de Blasio has described the incoming president as “dangerous”. After their meeting, Mr de Blasio said the conversation was “candid” and “respectful”. He said they discussed banking oversight and fears among Muslim and other minority communities.

Internal skirmishes continued with the ouster from the team of Kevin O’Connor, who was overseeing transition of the Justice Department. Mr O’Connor was seen as an ally of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who was removed as head of the transition last week.

And an array of possible cabinet officials met with the president-elect or his advisers, while the names of other prospective ­appointees began surfacing.

Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, a contender for secretary of state, appeared at Trump Tower yesterday. He rejected as unfair the “analysis and spin” over his law firm’s overseas work that has complicated his candidacy.

“Everything I did was completely in the interest of the US government,” he said.

“I’ve never lobbied for someone. I’ve never represented a foreign government. The work I do overseas is security work.”

Mr Giuliani is facing scrutiny for his appearances at events supporting an Iranian opposition group, the Mujaheddin-e Khalq, which the State Department designated as a terrorist organisation until 2012.

He and a bipartisan pool of other US political figures were each paid between $US25,000 and $US40,000 to address the group.

Mr Giuliani acknowledged having been deeply involved with the Mujaheddin-e Khalq, a group he supports. “Some people played an even bigger role — I played a big role, I’m not minimising it.”

Mr Trump was meeting overnight with Oracle chief executive Safra Catz and South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley. Ms Haley, who reportedly is being considered for a position in his administration, was sharply critical of Mr Trump during the primary.

She rejected his proposal to ban Muslim immigration and said he was “everything a governor doesn’t want in a president”.

Former governor Rick Perry was being discussed as a potential energy secretary and Bill Hagerty was being considered as the next US trade representative, sources said.

Mr Hagerty was the chief economic development officer for Tennessee governor Bill Haslam and worked on the staff of president George HW Bush.

The Wall Street Journal