Trump back to combative self after appeal for compromise

President Donald Trump needed barely a day after a soaring State of the Union speech to revert to his usual combative self Wednesday, branding an opponent a "hack" and investigations into his allegedly suspicious dealings with Russia "harassment."

Trump's address to Congress on Tuesday made repeated appeals to optimism and the spirit of cooperation.

Although he goaded opposition Democrats by lashing out against "socialism" and insisting, as ever, on his controversial US-Mexico wall project, he spent much of the speech in unusually compromising mode.

At least, until around lunchtime Wednesday.

Asked by reporters about the Democrat-led intelligence committee in the House of Representatives expanding a probe into his Russia connections, Trump reverted to his habit of name calling.

He labelled Adam Schiff, the chairman of the committee, "a political hack who's trying to build a name for himself."

Trump was infuriated by Schiff's decision to boost an already sensitive look by the committee at Trump's dealings with Russia.

Trump said he is being victimized.

The intelligence committee's investigation will run parallel to a major existing probe run by special prosecutor Robert Mueller into explosive allegations that Russian agents colluded with Trump in his 2016 election campaign.