US President Donald Trump has stepped up his attacks on House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, saying "she's very bad for our country" and "doesn't mind human trafficking" because she opposes his long-promised wall along the US-Mexico border.
The Republican president also said there is a "good chance" he will follow through on his previous threats to bypass Congress and declare a national emergency to obtain funding for a wall.
Trump, known for personal attacks on critics and political adversaries, made his comments a week after agreeing to end a 35-day partial government shutdown without getting the $US5.7 billion he had demanded from Congress to help build the wall.
His retreat was seen as a political victory for Pelosi, who became speaker last month when Democrats took over control of the House from the Republicans.
Trump, in an interview with CBS News, called Pelosi "very rigid" and said she was trying to "win a political point" by opposing his demands to fund the wall.
The Eastern pedestrian walkway to the San Ysidro border entry into Tijuana, MEsico from San Diego. Source: AAP
"I think she's very bad for our country," Trump said when asked what he learned in his negotiations with Pelosi.
"Basically she wants open borders. She doesn't mind human trafficking or she wouldn't do this," he added.
Pelosi has previously backed legislation to fight human trafficking and called it "an abhorrent crime."
A bipartisan House-Senate committee is considering proposals for funding border security measures for the current fiscal year ahead of a deadline in two weeks when stopgap funding ends and a new partial federal shutdown could begin.
Drew Hammill, a spokesman for Pelosi, in a statement condemned Trump's "wild and predictable misrepresentations about Democrats' commitment to border security."
Under the US Constitution, Congress holds the national purse strings and approves major expenditures of taxpayer funds.
Trump said at a White House event he might declare an emergency because it did not appear Democrats in Congress were moving toward a deal to provide wall money. Such a step likely would prompt a court challenge from Democrats.
A protester holds a sign near the border after a group marched to protest a proposed wall being built along the border with Mexico in El Paso, Texas. Source: AAP
"I think there's a good chance that we'll have to do that," Trump added, referring to the possibility of an emergency declaration.
Pelosi has said she was open to negotiating funding for more ports of entry or additional border security technology. She said the 17 House and Senate negotiators working on legislation to fund homeland security for the fiscal year should decide components of border security.
Construction of a border wall was one of Trump's signature 2016 campaign promises, and he previously said Mexico would pay for it.
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