Donald Trump has announced a temporary end to the government shutdown – but says he will impose a new one unless Democrats agree to fund his controversial US-Mexico wall.

The president struck a deal with Democrats which would see US government reopen for three weeks until February 15.

"I am very proud to announce today that we have reached a deal to end the shutdown and reopen the federal government," Trump said at the White House’s Rose Garden.

He added that all employees will receive back pay for unpaid wages.

He also paid tribute to the federal workers, or "patriots", who were caught up in the shutdown, and called them "very special people."

Trump’s $5.7 billion request for a wall along the Mexican border will be left to later talks, according to the Washington Post.

During the speech, he claimed ‘walls work’ and pointed out that a large concrete barrier on the Israel and the West Bank border had a "99.9% success rate".

He added: "We do not need 2,000 miles of wall from sea to shining sea. We never did.”

The government has been partially shut since Dec. 22 as lawmakers and the White House fought over how to address illegal immigration at the U.S. border with Mexico.  

Trump has insisted on $5.7 billion to fund a wall along the border to fulfill an oft-repeated campaign promise but Democrats, who now control the House of Representatives, have rejected his demand.

The lapse in funding, the longest in U.S. history, has shuttered about one-quarter of federal agencies, with about 800,000 workers either furloughed or required to work without pay.

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