Donald Trump has been forced to deny his transition to the White House is in disarray amid claims the President-elect was totally “unprepared” for his US election win.

The New York Times reports that Mr Trump’s transition since winning the presidential election last week has been marked by firings, infighting and revelations that world leaders have been unable to reach him.

Observers were stunned last week when Republican governor Chris Christie – who had been formally chosen to oversee Mr Trump’s transition – was abruptly fired on Saturday (AEST).

The dismissal was described by party insiders as the start of a “purge” instigated by Mr Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. As a federal prosecutor, Mr Christie had sent Mr Kushner’s father to jail.

Mr Christie’s role has since been handed to Vice President-elect Mike Pence, requiring new approvals and confusing the installation of Mr Trump’s team into the White House.

Christie allies Mike Rogers and Matthew Freedman, who had been handling national security for the transition, were sacked this week, furthering the confusion.

Prominent US allies have had trouble working out how and when to contact Mr Trump, according to the NY Times.

“At times, they have been patched through to him in his luxury office tower with little warning, according to a Western diplomat who spoke on the condition of anonymity to detail private conversations.”

Mr Trump took to Twitter to refute the claims.

The failing @nytimes story is so totally wrong on transition. It is going so smoothly. Also, I have spoken to many foreign leaders.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 16, 2016

I have recieved and taken calls from many foreign leaders despite what the failing @nytimes said. Russia, U.K., China, Saudi Arabia, Japan,

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 16, 2016

Australia, New Zealand, and more. I am always available to them. @nytimes is just upset that they looked like fools in their coverage of me.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 16, 2016

What is the transition?

The US presidential transition is the period between the election and the inauguration of a new President.

In this case, Mr Trump will be inaugurated on January 20.

During the transition, the President names usually new government personnel, selects new cabinet positions and government department heads.

The transition from Bill Clinton to George W Bush was marred by accusations of pranks. Photo: Getty

The President-elect will normally send ‘landing teams’ from his staff to the White House to be briefed on how the office and its different departments operate.

While Mr Trump’s transition appears to have been beset by problems, few presidential handovers go completely smoothly.

In recent times, the 1992 transition from George HW Bush to Bill Clinton was hampered by a staff shake-up in which Mr Clinton replaced his transition chief.

The transition from Mr Clinton to George W Bush was accompanied by accusations of “damage, theft, vandalism and pranks” by the outgoing staff.

Even in the 2008-09 transition from George W Bush to Barack Obama, Mr Obama had to replace his head of personnel several times.

A cascade of delays

CNN, meanwhile, has blamed Mr Christie’s dismissal for a “cascade of delays” in the transition.

Trump spokesman Jason Miller says the transition is moving well. Photo: Getty

“Donald Trump’s transition team has yet to contact the Pentagon, State Department or other federal agencies,” CNN said. “And a move to purge some transition advisers and employees has further slowed the process of getting the incoming administration off the blocks.”

Trump spokesman Jason Miller told reporters at Trump Tower that new staff were being appointed to lead the transition and fill important White House roles.

“We’re going to get the transition team where we need it to be,” Mr Miller said. “It’s going to be a team that will be able to put in place the exact type of team that President-elect Trump wants to have in.”

Palace coups

But Mr Trump’s team assembled so far has been slammed for being “torn by acrimony, resignations and palace coups”, by veteran Washington insider Eliot Cohen.

Mr Cohen, a State Department official from 2007-2009, described in the Washington Post how his attempts to suggest a possible candidate for office to a friend at Trump Tower was scornfully rejected.

After exchange w Trump transition team, changed my recommendation: stay away. They're angry, arrogant, screaming "you LOST!" Will be ugly.

— Eliot A Cohen (@EliotACohen) November 15, 2016

Meeting with the media in the lobby of Trump Tower on Wednesday, Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway denied any problems with the White House transition.

When asked if the transition was in disarray, Ms Conway replied: “Campaign in disarray? I just don’t see it that way. It’s just not that way.

“You don’t form a federal government overnight, and these are very serious issues, very serious appointments, very serious considerations.”