Speaking to reporters outside the White House in an interaction for which it appeared the president had prepared several key talking points in advance, he admitted Democrats had enough votes to push ahead and vote to formally censure him.

Yet, he said he believed he would be protected by Republicans in the Senate, which would have to vote with a two-thirds majority if the president were to be removed from office.

“So the Democrats. Unfortunately they have the votes,“ Mr Trump said, referring to the House, which only requires to a simple majority to vote to impeach the head of state.

Earlier, it was reported Mr Trump planned to write to House speaker Nancy Pelosi to demand a full procedural vote by the lower chamber before handing over documents Democrats have requested.

Everyone Trump has fired or forced out Show all 13 1 /13 Everyone Trump has fired or forced out Everyone Trump has fired or forced out John Bolton Trump claimed to have fired Bolton, his national security adviser, while Bolton claimed he offered to resign. An anonymous White House source that Bolton's departure came as a result of the national security adviser working too independently of the president AFP/Getty Everyone Trump has fired or forced out Anthony Scaramucci Scaramucci lasted only six days in his role as Trump's communications director before being fired by John Kelly, the incoming chief of staff Getty Everyone Trump has fired or forced out Rick Perry Rick Perry announced his resignation just as he became embroiled in the president's impeachment scandal. The White House said Mr Perry was asked by Donald Trump to work with Rudy GIuliani in regards to Ukraine. AP Everyone Trump has fired or forced out Rex Tillerson Tillerson, Trump's first secretary of state, was fired after a series of clashes with the president over policy Getty Everyone Trump has fired or forced out James Mattis Mattis served as secretary of defense from the beginning of Trump's administration until retiring on 1 January 2019. However, the president later claimed that he had "essentially fired" Mattis Getty Everyone Trump has fired or forced out James Comey Comey was fired as director of the FBI early in Trump's presidency after serving in the role for four years prior. His dismissal is widely thought to have been related to the Russia investigation Getty Everyone Trump has fired or forced out Reince Priebus Priebus, Trump's first chief of staff, was forced out after six tumultuous months AFP/Getty Everyone Trump has fired or forced out David Shulkin Veterans affairs secretary Shulkin claims that he was fired, the White House claims that he resigned Getty Everyone Trump has fired or forced out John Kelly Kelly, Trump's second chief of staff, was forced out after 17 months in office. His departure was a confused affair though it is clear that Trump wanted Kelly out AFP/Getty Everyone Trump has fired or forced out Michael Flynn Flynn lasted 24 days as Trump's national security adviser before being fired for lying to the FBI Getty Everyone Trump has fired or forced out Lee Cisna Cisna served as director of citizen and immigration services between October 2017 and June 2019 before being asked to resign amid a major personnel change in the department of homeland security Everyone Trump has fired or forced out Madeline Westerhout Westerhout served as Trump's personal assistant after leaking private information about his family AFP/Getty Everyone Trump has fired or forced out Mira Ricardel Ricardel was forced out of her role as Deputy National Security Advisor after first lady Melania Trump publicly called for her to be fired

He added: “Even though many of them don’t want to. And I do believe that because of what they are doing, with Pelosi the real leadership of AOC plus three, they are going to pay a tremendous price at the polls.”

The president’s reference to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and three other progressive Democrats often referred to as ‘The Squad’, came during something of a masterclass by Mr Trump in how to muddy the waters.

Having been caught in a controversy he has been unable to throw off like the countless others he has slipped away from during his two-and-half years in office, he has sought to turn the focus away from his own apparent misconduct in regard to pressuring Ukraine to dig up dirt on Joe Biden.

A day after calling for both China and Ukraine to launch investigations into alleged misconduct by the former vice president and his son – claims for which there is no supporting evidence – the president said it was his duty to try and take on corruption.

Rudy Giuliani reads texts suggesting Kurt Volker and the state department were 'all over him' to get involved with Ukraine

Mr Trump also repeated another claim for which there is no evidence, namely that Mr Biden’s son, Hunter, took out “a billion and a half dollars out of China”.

“Biden is corrupt, his son is corrupt,” Mr Trump said. “His son takes out billions of dollars, billions, and he has no experience.”

US media has for months reported that Mr Trump’s reelection campaign is most concerned about the threat posed by Mr Biden, who remains joint frontrunner with Elizabeth Warren.

Yet the president claimed he had never thought Mr Biden was going to win the Democratic nomination.

“I don’t care about Biden’s campaign. I care about corruption,” he added.

Mr Trump said he had spoken with Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell and seen his statement that he saw nothing wrong in the president’s call with the leader of Ukraine. As a result, he said, he believed he would be supported by Republicans in the Senate.

This week, in a rare television interview, Mr McConnell told CNBC that Congressional rules would require the Senate to consider an impeachment vote if the House passed such a censure. Yet, he said there was no requirement as to how much time was dedicated to it.

“What I want to do is spend our time accomplishing things for the American people,” he said.