A group of Democrats has fled Texas as part of an attempt to block a Donald Trump-backed redistricting plan that could reshape the balance of power in Washington.

Lawmakers were seen boarding chartered planes on Sunday evening as they sought to deny the Texas House of Representatives the quorum required to vote on a redrawn congressional map that could create an additional five Republican-leaning seats.

Gene Wu, who chairs the House Democratic Caucus, said the members were “walking out on a rigged system that refuses to listen to the people we represent”.

“As of today, this corrupt special session is over,” Mr Wu said.

Republicans hold 25 of Texas’s 38 seats in the US House, and the president has demanded “a simple redrawing” of congressional lines to create more GOP-friendly districts.