NEW YORK — His inauguration less than three weeks away, President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday raised new doubts about the nation’s intelligence community, tweeting fresh criticism at the same officials who will help inform his most sensitive decisions once he takes office.

Trump charged on Twitter without evidence that the timing of an upcoming intelligence briefing on Russian interference in the 2016 election had been delayed. “Perhaps more time needed to build a case. Very strange!” he wrote, using quote marks around the word “intelligence.”

Trump’s jab, in line with repeated criticism of intelligence leaders, sparked confusion among intelligence officials, who said there was no delay in the briefing schedule.

The fresh clash came as Trump took further steps to fill his Cabinet and key White House positions, with his attention shifting toward the challenges of governing.

Earlier Tuesday, he tapped as U.S. trade representative a former Reagan official who has condemned Republicans’ commitment to free trade. Trump indicated that Robert Lighthizer, who is expected to take a hard line against China, would represent “the United States as we fight for good trade deals that put the American worker first.”

The new administration’s specific plans for crafting new trade deals, spokesman Sean Spicer said, “will come in time.”

There were also questions about Trump’s plans for repealing President Barack Obama’s signature health care law. The issue was expected to be the focus as Vice President-elect Mike Pence and secretary of state pick Rex Tillerson meet with top Republicans on Capitol Hill today.

Pence issued a direct challenge to Washington Republicans Tuesday: “The president-elect has a very clear message to Capitol Hill. And that is: It’s time to get to work.”

Trump signaled he would not bless all of the GOP’s priorities on Capitol Hill, openly questioning the timing of the House Republican push to gut an independent ethics board.

The president-elect has spent much of the last two months with advisers and communicating with the public through Twitter, as he did Tuesday. He promised late in the day, however, to hold his first formal news conference as the since winning the election next week in New York.