President Donald Trump said he had “so many options” for delivering the State of the Union address after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi asked him to delay it because of the partial government shutdown.
“Nancy, I am still thinking about the State of the Union speech, there are so many options – including doing it as per your written offer (made during the Shutdown, security is no problem), and my written acceptance,” Trump wrote on Twitter Sunday. “While a contract is a contract, I’ll get back to you soon!”
Nancy, I am still thinking about the State of the Union speech, there are so many options – including doing it as per your written offer (made during the Shutdown, security is no problem), and my written acceptance. While a contract is a contract, I’ll get back to you soon!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2019
Pelosi sent Trump a letter Wednesday seeking to delay the State of the Union address or have the president deliver a written address. Pelosi cited the Department of Homeland Security’s partial funding and said the Secret Service would not be able to provide adequate security. Trump’s address is scheduled for Jan. 29.
Many congressional Republicans have floated plans to allow Trump to bypass Pelosi’s invitation to deliver the address. Republican Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul suggested Trump bypass the House of Representatives entirely and deliver the speech from the Senate floor Thursday. Republican Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie echoed Paul’s suggestion in a tweet Saturday. (RELATED: Trump Brings Pelosi’s Multimillion-Dollar Vineyard Into Shutdown Fight)
“Could [Donald Trump] deliver the State of the Union Address in the Senate? The Senate floor is smaller than the House floor, but as you can see in this photograph, there are enough seats if some of us sit in the gallery,” Massie wrote on Twitter Saturday.
Could @realDonaldTrump deliver the State of the Union Address in the Senate? The Senate floor is smaller than the House floor, but as you can see in this photograph, there are enough seats if some of us sit in the gallery. #SOTU pic.twitter.com/3o4iqMTEQc
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) January 19, 2019
Pelosi and Trump’s standoff stems from the parties’ disagreement over border wall funding that led to the partial government shutdown in the first place. Sunday marked day 30 of the partial government shutdown triggered by the inability of Congress and the White House to agree on funding the southern border wall Trump wants. Pelosi has said a border wall would be “immoral.”
U.S. President Donald Trump, center, makes remarks as he hosts a naturalization ceremony in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, January 19, 2019. (Photo by Ron Sachs-Pool/Getty Images)
Trump also accused the Democrats of being only focused on 2020 after Pelosi rejected Trump’s offer to bring Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) extensions into a compromise to reopen the government Saturday.
“Nancy Pelosi and some of the Democrats turned down my offer yesterday before I even got up to speak,” Trump wrote on Twitter Sunday morning. “They don’t see crime [and] drugs, they only see 2020 – which they are not going to win. Best economy! They should do the right thing for the Country [and] allow people to go back to work.”
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