US President Donald Trump urged Republican congressional leaders Friday to let Obamacare "implode" rather than immediately work to fix it, after the Senate rejected a bill that would repeal the health care law.

"3 Republicans and 48 Democrats let the American people down," Trump tweeted, referring to the 49-51 vote in the dead of night on a controversial plan that would have partialliy dismantled the Affordable Care Act. 

"As I said from the beginning, let ObamaCare implode, then deal," the president said.