Donald Trump plans on asking congress for $8.6bn (£6.6bn) to build a wall on the US southern border in 2020, a figure that far surpasses previous allocations for the project, according to reports.

The president’s new demand is six times what was allocated earlier this year for the wall, and six per cent more than what he has sought to reallocate with his emergency declaration.

The request is unlikely to gain much traction with Democrats in control of the House of Representatives, however, who successfully thwarted his request for $5.6bn in border funding earlier this year.

But the proposal could potentially set the stage for the president’s re-election bid, even after a damaging start of the year that saw few concessions on the issue and Mr Trump taking blame for the longest government shutdown in American history.

“It gives the president the ability to say he has fulfilled his commitment to gain operational control of the southwest border,” one administration official told Reuters.

Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California Show all 20 1 /20 Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California The prototypes for President Trump’s border wall are being demolished. AP Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California The US Customs and Border protection had built the eight 30-foot tall steel and concrete models near San Diego on the US-Mexico border. Reuters Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California A 2018 report from the Government Accountability Office found that the construction challenges presented by the four concrete models would be “extensive” and those presented by two of the other models would be “substantial”. Reuters Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California It was intended that Mr Trump would choose his favourite of the designs after testing had been completed. AFP/Getty Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California The President is yet to comment. AFP/Getty Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California Each prototype cost $300,000 to $500,000 to build and they are being knocked down in order to make way for the San Diego Secondary Wall project which will see up to 14 miles of barrier being built to support the existing steel border fence. AP Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California The new barrier will not employ the design of any of the prototypes, instead being built of the favoured steel bollards which make up the current section of the wall at San Diego. Reuters Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California The new secondary barrier being built near San Diego. Reuters Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California The rubble of one of the demolished prototypes. Reuters Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California A steel wall prototype AFP/Getty Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California A wall prototype made from a mix of steel and concrete AFP/Getty Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California A wall prototype made from a mix of steel and concrete AFP/Getty Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California A concrete wall prototype AFP/Getty Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California A steel wall prototype AFP/Getty Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California A concrete wall prototype AFP/Getty Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California A concrete wall prototype AFP/Getty Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California A concrete wall prototype AFP/Getty Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California A digger approaches the prototype wall AFP/Getty Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California Aerial view of the wall prototypes at the US-Mexico border after they were torn down AFP/Getty Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California An aerial view showing Tijuana, Mexico on the left and the demolished wall prototypes on the right AFP/Getty

Another administration official told the news agency: “We have provided the course of action, the strategy and the request to finish the job. It’s a question of, will congress allow us to finish the job.”

The president’s current attempt to secure funding for the wall through an emergency declaration is being challenged in congress and US courts, with a resolution terminating the declaration currently being considered in the Senate.

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The measure appears to have received enough support from Republicans in the Senate to pass, a scenario that would force Mr Trump to sign the first veto of his presidency.

It is unlikely that a veto on the measure would be overruled in congress.

Mr Trump has made building a border wall a central promise of his presidency, having launched his 2016 election campaign with a pledge to secure America’s southern border.

Since becoming president, Mr Trump has pursued so-called “America First” policies, including the building of the wall.