Donald Trump has said that his border wall - a point of contention in a spending bill that could shut down the federal government - could cost more than $10bn (£7.8bn) if he decides to make it 'super-duper'.

He guaranteed the nearly 2,000-mile border wall with Mexico will be built and will "maybe" come in above his estimate if it “super-duper, higher, better, better security, everything else”.

Many estimates put the cost of the wall at closer to $25bn (£19.5bn) to account for repairs, new construction, materials, labour, land acquisition, and various terrain.

Democrat Senator Chuck Schumer said even with Mr Trump’s lower estimate, Mr Trump's insistence on Americans funding it is a “poison pill” for a budget deal, which has to be reached by 28 April in order to keep the federal government operating.

Matt House, Mr Schumer’s spokesman, quipped: “Democrats thought Mexico was supposed to pay for the wall.”

Mr Schumer is “hopeful” a deal can be reached by then but said the “fly in the ointment is that the president is being a little heavy-handed, and mixing in and asking for things such as the (border) wall.“

On MSNBC, Mr Schumer noted he and the President do speak to each other regularly. However he said Mr Trump is “mainly interested in talking about what he wants to talk about.”

There was talk of a “dollar-for-dollar deal” involving the border wall and the Republican replacement to Obamacare healthcare legislation, Politico reported.

The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters

Budget Director Mick Mulvaney said the White House told Democrats they would fund $1 in Obamacare subsidies for every $1 that’s provided for the border wall in an effort to avoid a shutdown, which Democrats have refused to consider because it appears to hold Americans access to healthcare "hostage."

The wall is not the only issue being debated for the spending bill.

Democrats want federal funding for women's health organisation Planned Parenthood, but Republicans oppose supporting it because of the nationwide system of clinics' abortion services. Only three per cent of services offered by Planned Parenthood are abortion-related, however.

In his proposed budget from February, Mr Trump also called for a $54bn (£42bn) increase in defence spending at the cost of cuts to programmes for environmental protection, diplomacy, maritime security, and urban housing subsidies.

The last time the federal government shutdown was in October 2013 during former President Barack Obama’s second term. Republicans orchestrated the 17-day shutdown in an effort to repeal Obamacare, which was ultimately unsuccessful in that goal.