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Trump told to ‘grow up’ as doubts grow over his wall plan

US vice-president Joe biden has slammed president-elect Donald Trump's Twitter posts.

US vice-president Joe biden has slammed president-elect Donald Trump's Twitter posts. Photo: AAP.

US Vice President Joe Biden has urged President-elect Donald Trump to “grow up” and behave like an “adult”.

“Grow up Donald, grow up, time to be an adult, you’re president. Time to do something. Show us what you have,” Biden said in an interview with the public television station PBS when being asked about Trump’s comments on Twitter.

Biden had criticised two of Trump’s recent messages in which he labelled Senate minority leader of the Democrats Chuck Schumer as “head clown” and another in which he criticised President Barack Obama for his “incendiary comments”.

During the campaign and after being elected president, Trump has used Twitter compulsively for all sorts of purposes, such as insulting opponents and his colleagues, threatening companies or criticising the intelligence community.

Mr Trump has been briefed on allegations Russia meddled in the US presidential election – claims he has cast doubt on in a series of tweets.

Mr Biden said it was “absolutely mindless” for the president-elect not to have faith in intelligence agencies.

Russia denies hacking Democratic Party emails ahead of the November polls.

“For a president not to have confidence in, not to be prepared to listen to, the myriad intelligence agencies, from defence intelligence to the CIA, is absolutely mindless,” Mr Biden said in an interview with the PBS network.

“The idea that you may know more than the intelligence community knows – it’s like saying I know more about physics than my professor. I didn’t read the book, I just know I know more.”

Meanwhile Mr Trump’s transition team is exploring whether it can avoid passing a new bill to make good on his promise to build a wall on the US-Mexico border, officials say.

But, in a direct contradiction of one of Mr Trump’s campaign promises, it would be American taxpayers, not Mexico, who would foot the bill for the multi-billion dollar project.

Under the evolving plan, the Trump administration would rely on George W Bush legislation authorising fencing and other technology along the southern border.

Congress would be asked to ensure that enough money is appropriated to take additional new steps – but would not pass a stand-alone bill authorising a big new wall.

The potential approach was confirmed by two congressional officials and a senior transition official with knowledge of the discussions; all spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the matter publicly. The officials emphasised that no final decisions had been made.

The approach could come as a surprise to some but could avoid a legislative fight Trump might lose if he tried to get Congress to pass a stand-alone bill authorising the kind of border wall he promised during the campaign.

It  is unclear how much could be done along the 3,200km border without additional actions by Congress. Lawmakers passed the Secure Fence Act of 2006, but most of those 1,100km have already been built.

Some areas are in much better shape than others, though, and long stretches are made up of fencing that stops vehicles but not pedestrians.

Despite Congress’ involvement in approving any spending, such an approach might also open Trump to charges of going around the House and the Senate to take unilateral actions, something he repeatedly criticised President Barack Obama for doing.

Trump said in a tweet on Friday: “The dishonest media does not report that any money spent on building the Great Wall (for sake of speed), will be paid back by Mexico later!”

– with AAP

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