Pelosi Successfully Blocks President Trump's State of the Union Address
Trump forced to postpone SOTU after Democratic House speaker blocks event
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Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has successfully blocked Donald Trump from giving his State of the Union, forcing the president to postpone his annual address.
President Trump will not give his State of the Union address until after the government shutdown has ended, he announced on Twitter Wednesday night.
Trump was forced to concede after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi denied Trump use of the House of Representatives chamber to deliver his speech earlier on Wednesday.
"As the Shutdown was going on, [House Speaker] Nancy Pelosi asked me to give the State of the Union Address," Trump tweeted.
"I agreed. She then changed her mind because of the Shutdown [sic], suggesting a later date. This is her prerogative - I will do the Address when the Shutdown is over [sic]."
"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," he continued.
"I look forward to giving a 'great' State of the Union Address in the near future!"
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
....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
Pelosi replied to Trump's announcement asking him to "support the House-passed package" to end the shutdown in a vote Thursday.
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. https://t.co/57KMATZZTO
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) January 24, 2019
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On Wednesday, Pelosi flatly rejected President Trump’s acceptance of her initial invitation to deliver his State of the Union address to Congress, saying the House will block it from moving forward until the partial government shutdown has ended.
“I am writing to inform you that the House of Representatives will not consider a concurrent resolution authorizing the President’s State of the Union address in the House chamber until government has opened,” Pelosi wrote as the relationship between House Democrats and the White House continues to deteriorate.
The announcement follows a letter from Pelosi last week in which she urged the president to postpone his annual SOTU address.
This latest move from House Speaker Pelosi comes after President Trump rejected her previous request and the White House said the State of the Union would go ahead as scheduled.
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As Democratic Party leader, Pelosi has come under fire for her refusal to discuss funding for President Trump's proposed wall along the US Southern Border.
Democrats are reportedly "livid" with Nancy Pelosi over her refusal to negotiate terms for ending the partial government shutdown with President Donald Trump.
Pelosi has continually rejected, on behalf of the Democratic Party, President Trump's offers of negotiating his planned wall along the US Southern Border with Mexico.
Among the growing number of frustrated Democrats is Michigan freshman Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), who is publicly urging Pelosi to drop the political games and “get in the damn room” with Trump to discuss the border wall.
“We all have a fire under us to get something done,” Slotkin said, according to a local news report.
“We’re trying to still figure out the dynamic between all of us, and the leadership is still trying to figure out how to manage this very, very energetic and outspoken class.”
As the shutdown continues to drag on, voices from both sides of the aisle are now calling on Pelosi to put her anti-Trump campaign aside for the sake of the American people.
