Donald Trump poured scorn on fellow Republicans for scuppering his healthcare plan, with a top aide even suggesting he may now seek support from Democrats as he attempts to recover from a stinging blow to his presidency.

Republican leaders traded recriminations for the failure to scrap President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act, after replacement legislation was withdrawn on Friday due to lack of support, mainly from the Freedom Caucus, a group of conservative Republican members of the House of Representatives.

Mr Trump tweeted an attack yesterday on his Republican opponents. “Democrats are smiling in D.C. that the Freedom Caucus, with the help of Club For Growth and Heritage, have saved Planned Parenthood & Ocare!,” he wrote, referring to Obamacare.