Donald Trump's stunning U-turn in less than seven days

Donald Trump is no stranger to causing controversy, but his latest tweets have seen a total volte-face on what could define the US in the coming months.

At the end of April it became clear that a government shutdown was possible if there wasn't an agreement on the budget.

In the end, the budget was secured until September.

But before an agreement could be reached, he attacked Democrats for the developing budget row, saying: "Families prepare for summer vacations in our National Parks – Democrats threaten to close them and shut down the government. Terrible!"

But what was then a "terrible" prospect of a shutdown, has now turned into something that the President has welcomed.

On Tuesday 2 May, Trump issued two tweets aimed at Democrats and his own Republicans, many of whom are at loggerheads over the prospect of repealing and replacing Obamacare.

The budgetary delay to September has also meant that the funds to build Trump's "great wall" will also be harder to accrue.

Tweet attacking Democrats about possible shutdown

Over two tweets, Trump said: "The reason for the plan negotiated between the Republicans and Democrats is that we need 60 votes in the Senate which are not there! We either elect more Republican Senators in 2018 or change the rules now to 51%. Our country needs a good 'shutdown' in September to fix mess!"

According to Standard and Poor's, the 16-day shutdown in October 2013 cost the US $24bn.

On Monday, senior Republican Senator John McCain told the press to: "Watch what Trump does, not what he says."

It remains to be seen if Trump performs another U-turn in the days ahead.