The billionaire businessman Trump has vowed to diminish the corrupting influence of Big Money in politics, and to root out "pay-for-play" deals that see deep-pocketed donors make donations to politicians in exchange for access.
Trump also vowed to shut down the revolving door which sees highly placed officials leave public services and take private sector jobs as handsomely paid go-betweens with the federal government.
The ban could be announced as early today, the administration official said, as one of a raft of "executive orders" issued by the new US president as he fills promises made on the campaign trail.