Long-simmering tensions between Donald Trump and the Washington foreign policy establishment burst into the open yesterday after a respected former congressman quit the transition team and a leading neoconservative publicly warned colleagues not to join the incoming administration.

Mike Rogers, former chairman of the House intelligence committee who had been one of the senior figures advising the transition team on national security, stepped down as head of that group, saying he would “hand off our work” to a new team being assembled by Mike Pence, the incoming vice-president.

One person advising the Trump transition team said many of the people connected with Chris Christie, New Jersey governor, had been pushed out in the wake of his replacement as head of the team by Mr Pence. Mr Christie was caught up in a scandal over the use of his office to punish political opponents.