Donald Trump has told the "Fox and Friends" programme that he believes the US is at risk of becoming a one party political system with him as President.

In an interview aired on Tuesday morning, Mr Trump criticised the House of Representatives Democrat leader Nancy Pelosi as "incompetent".

He said the Democrat party, which is now in the minority in both House and Senate, was at risk under her leadership. The Republican nonetheless added that he "likes" a two party system.

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He said: "I’ve been watching Nancy’s statements and I think she’s incompetent actually. If you look at what’s been going on with the Democrats, the party, it’s getting smaller and smaller.

"In a certain way I hate to see it because I like a two party system. We’re soon going to have a one party system. I actually think a two party system is healthy and good."

Mr Trump's comments could undermine efforts by the White House to present his address to Congress on Tuesday night as an opportunity to reset his relationship with lawmakers.

The address, which Trump has been writing with aide Stephen Miller and others, will include some gestures toward unifying a polarised country as he tries to bind the wounds from a bitterly fought election, aides have told reporters.

Mr Trump's speech is not being labeled a State of the Union address because he has had so little time in office so far.

Democratic lawmakers will not boycott the speech, according to congressional aides. Instead, they plan to attend the speech and give their reactions to reporters afterward, as is the custom at such events.

But they are expected to find a number of ways to express their displeasure with the Trump administration so far.

At least one - Representative Luis Gutierrez of Illinois - has told reporters he will protest Mr Trump’s speech by refusing to applaud or give him a standing ovation, another custom at presidential speeches.

Shape Created with Sketch. The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 left Created with Sketch. right Created with Sketch. Shape Created with Sketch. The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued 1/9 Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images 2/9 Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty 3/9 Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images 4/9 Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images 5/9 Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images 6/9 Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images 7/9 Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP 8/9 Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images 9/9 Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters 1/9 Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images 2/9 Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty 3/9 Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images 4/9 Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images 5/9 Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images 6/9 Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images 7/9 Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP 8/9 Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images 9/9 Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters

Others have extended invitations to members of the public who, through their presence in the visitors' galleries, will offer their own rebuke to the President's policies.

They include Democratic Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois, who has invited Aaima Sayed, a participant in an Obama administration programme deferring the deportation of youths brought to the US illegally.

Tim Albrecht, a Republican strategist in Iowa, told the Reuters news agency there were no guarantees Mr Trump would stick to a conciliatory script.

"Despite those at home or in the audience, he’s going to put forward what he believes needs to be done just as he did in the two years he ran for president," he said.

"As with everything in Trump land, conventional wisdom is thrown out the window."

Ms Pelosi, in remarks to reporters on Monday evening, said if Mr Trump's address adopted anything like the dark tone of inaugural speech, "it will be a very sad evening for our country".

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