Trump says he will give State of the Union after shutdown ends
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In a pair of tweets late Wednesday night, President Trump said that he would not give the State of the Union address until after the government shutdown ends, and that he is not "looking for an alternative venue."
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 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!
The backdrop: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi sent Trump a letter Wednesday stating that the House "will not consider a resolution authorizing the President's State of the Union in the House Chamber until the government has opened." Trump said earlier at the White House that he would come up with another plan, but is now opting to wait to give the address until the shutdown over funding for his border wall — now 33 days old — is over.
Pelosi later responded to Trump's statement with a tweet of her own:
Mr. President, I hope by saying “near future” you mean you will support the House-passed package to #EndTheShutdown that the Senate will vote on tomorrow. Please accept this proposal so we can re-open government, repay our federal workers and then negotiate our differences.
What's next: The Senate is expected to vote on dueling proposals to reopen the government on Thursday: one with $5.7 billion for a border wall, and one without. Neither is expected to pass.
