President-elect Donald Trump meets with running mate Mike Pence in New York on Tuesday to discuss cabinet appointments amid reports of intense infighting over choice posts.

One source described to CNN the fierce lobbying as a "knife fight."

Trump and Pence will "be reviewing a number of names" for cabinet positions, Jason Miller, a transition communications adviser, told reporters gathered at Trump Tower.

Trump appears to be torn between a campaign promise to shake up Washington and the need to build a cabinet with political experience and connections with Congress.

Possible candidates for secretary of state include hawkish former diplomat John Bolton and former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, US media reported.

Retired General Michael Flynn is a possible national security adviser pick, while Republican Senator Jeff Sessions could be secretary of defense or attorney general, according to CNN.

CBS and CNN also reported that the transition team is seeking top security clearances for Trump's adult children.

Trump however did not request that this step be taken, and the Trump children have not started filling out paperwork for such clearances, a transition official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"That's not something I'm expecting right now," the official said.

Trump on Sunday tapped Steve Bannon, chairman of conservative news platform Breitbart, as his chief strategist, and Reince Priebus, the head of the Republican National Committee, as his chief of staff.

Miller gave few details on the new people under consideration.

"You can't believe everything you read. I don't want to play the speculation game as far as names," Miller said.

He added: "There will be non-traditional names, a number of people who have had wide-ranging success in a number of different fields... People will be excited when they see the type of leaders the president-elect brings into this administration."

Separately, Pence said that he plans to complete his term as Indiana governor even as he helps with the transition of power in Washington, the Indianapolis Star reported.

Pence made the remarks at a cabinet meeting in Indianapolis on Tuesday, an event at which he welcomed the new state governor, who takes over on January 9, the newspaper reported.