A potential showdown between President Trump and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi over the State of the Union address won’t take place next week.
The President using Twitter Wednesday evening to announce that he will wait until the partial federal government shutdown is over before he will give his next State of the Union address.
As the Shutdown was going on, Nancy Pelosi asked me to give the State of the Union Address. I agreed. She then changed her mind because of the Shutdown, suggesting a later date. This is her prerogative – I will do the Address when the Shutdown is over. I am not looking for an….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 24, 2019
The tweets end what became just the latest confrontation between two of the federal governments most powerful people, surrounding what is a Constitutional privilege the President has, a message to Congress regarding the state of the country which since 1913 is given in person.
On January 3, Speaker Pelosi extended an invitation for President Trump to give his State of the Union address on January 29th. On the 16th, Pelosi sent another letter asking the President to reconsider the date of his address, claiming that the government shutdown would jeopardize the security necessary to host the event in the House chambers.
Trump responded by saying the Secret Service and other security details would not be impacted, and on Wednesday said he was ready to speak on the 29th.
Pelosi responded by sending a letter stating the resolution needed to allow the President to speak would not be passed, thus ending any chance of Trump to speak in the House chamber.
Trump did float the idea that he would speak elsewhere, but in another tweet Wednesday evening he says he would wait to give the speech in the House chambers, given its importance and tradition of hosting.
….alternative venue for the SOTU Address because there is no venue that can compete with the history, tradition and importance of the House Chamber. I look forward to giving a “great” State of the Union Address in the near future!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 24, 2019
Wednesday was the 32nd day of the federal government shutdown.
