Trump 'pressed Mexico to stop talk of wall payments'

US President Donald Trump urged the Mexican president to stop publicly saying he would not pay for a proposed border wall, according to transcripts.

Mr Trump admonished Enrique Pena Nieto for publicly denouncing the wall during a 27 January phone call, transcripts obtained by the Washington Post show.

"You cannot say that to the press," he reportedly told him.

Transcripts of his first call with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull were also published.

In a rancorous call, President Trump tells him it was the "worst" conversation he had that day, and one with Russian President Vladimir Putin was more pleasant.

Mr Trump launched his presidential campaign on a promise to build a wall along the US southern border and vowed to make Mexico pay for the project.

But the transcripts show the US president acknowledged the funding would come from other sources, saying the money "will work out in the formula somehow".

He added: "If you are going to say that Mexico is not going to pay for the wall then I do not want to meet with you guys anymore because I cannot live with that."

The House of Representatives approved $1.6 billion towards the border wall last week, and the federal government has been viewing proposals submitted by construction contractors.

Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, the highest ranked congressional Republican, also released a video this week of his visit to the southern border, saying "it's time for The Wall".