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Trump Tells Pelosi He Will Deliver State of the Union, on Capitol Hill Trump Tells Pelosi He Will Deliver State of the Union. Pelosi Responds, No You Won’t.
(35 minutes later)
WASHINGTON — President Trump sent a letter on Wednesday to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, telling her he planned to deliver his State of the Union address in Congress as originally scheduled next Tuesday, despite her earlier warning of security concerns. WASHINGTON — The tit-for-tat between President Trump and Speaker Nancy Pelosi over the State of the Union address escalated sharply on Wednesday, with Mr. Trump telling Ms. Pelosi he would deliver the speech in the Capitol on Tuesday as originally scheduled, and Ms. Pelosi firing back that he was not welcome unless the government was fully open.
The letter is the latest move in a game of brinkmanship between the two over the address.
[Read the letter here.][Read the letter here.]
Ms. Pelosi had invited Mr. Trump to deliver the speech in a letter on Jan. 3. But on Jan. 16, she warned that there were security concerns about the president’s coming to Capitol Hill because of the partial government shutdown, which began about a month ago.Ms. Pelosi had invited Mr. Trump to deliver the speech in a letter on Jan. 3. But on Jan. 16, she warned that there were security concerns about the president’s coming to Capitol Hill because of the partial government shutdown, which began about a month ago.
Mr. Trump said in Wednesday’s letter that he had checked — and that there were no such concerns from the Secret Service. On Wednesday, Mr. Trump responded, sending Ms. Pelosi a letter in which he said that he had checked — and that there were no such concerns from the Secret Service.
“Therefore, I will be honoring your invitation, and fulfilling my Constitutional duty, to deliver important information to the people and Congress of the United States of America regarding the State of our Union,” the president wrote.“Therefore, I will be honoring your invitation, and fulfilling my Constitutional duty, to deliver important information to the people and Congress of the United States of America regarding the State of our Union,” the president wrote.
“It would be so very sad for our Country if the State of the Union were not delivered on time, on schedule, and very importantly, on location!” he wrote.“It would be so very sad for our Country if the State of the Union were not delivered on time, on schedule, and very importantly, on location!” he wrote.
Mr. Trump’s announcement seemed meant to put the Democrat leadership on the spot, and Democrats had issued somewhat contradictory language on the president’s invitation. Within hours, Ms. Pelosi fired back with a letter of her own, telling the president she would not pass a resolution authorizing him to come until the government has reopened. “Again, I look forward to welcoming you to the House on a mutually agreeable date for this address when government has been opened,” she wrote.
Representative Steny H. Hoyer of Maryland, the majority leader, appeared Tuesday on Fox News and was asked if he would be willing to host the president. He gave a one-word answer: “Sure.” That led to speculation that he disagreed with Ms. Pelosi. Back at the White House, Mr. Trump offered a quick retort, telling reporters: “I’m not surprised. It’s really a shame what’s happening with the Democrats. They’ve become radicalized.”
Mr. Trump’s announcement that he would come to the Capitol despite Ms. Pelosi’s concerns seemed meant to put the Democrat leadership on the spot. Republican leaders in Congress piled on. The House Republican leader, Kevin McCarthy of California, released a video on Twitter of him signing the resolution formally inviting the president to the House.
“Retweet if you agree that the State of the Union should proceed as planned,” he wrote.
Before Ms. Pelosi’s response, Democrats had issued somewhat contradictory language on the president’s invitation. Representative Steny H. Hoyer of Maryland, the majority leader, appeared Tuesday on Fox News and was asked if he would be willing to host the president. He gave a one-word answer: “Sure.” That led to speculation that he disagreed with Ms. Pelosi.
But on Wednesday, Mr. Hoyer spoke to reporters and said the United States Capitol Police would be fully prepared to provide security in the event that Mr. Trump delivered the address in the Capitol.But on Wednesday, Mr. Hoyer spoke to reporters and said the United States Capitol Police would be fully prepared to provide security in the event that Mr. Trump delivered the address in the Capitol.
“Nancy and I are on the same page. She didn’t disinvite him,” Mr. Hoyer said of Ms. Pelosi. “What she said was she thought it would be appropriate to choose a different date. He has not done so.”“Nancy and I are on the same page. She didn’t disinvite him,” Mr. Hoyer said of Ms. Pelosi. “What she said was she thought it would be appropriate to choose a different date. He has not done so.”
In a closed-door meeting with House Democrats on Wednesday morning, before Mr. Trump sent his letter, Ms. Pelosi made it clear that she still believed the speech should not occur, and advised lawmakers against arranging for their families to be at the Capitol for it.In a closed-door meeting with House Democrats on Wednesday morning, before Mr. Trump sent his letter, Ms. Pelosi made it clear that she still believed the speech should not occur, and advised lawmakers against arranging for their families to be at the Capitol for it.
“With government shut down and people not getting paid, why should we go through this?” she said, according to an aide in the room who described her comments on the condition of anonymity because they were private.“With government shut down and people not getting paid, why should we go through this?” she said, according to an aide in the room who described her comments on the condition of anonymity because they were private.
Ms. Pelosi said some Democrats had approached her asking if they should arrange for family members to be in Washington for the occasion.Ms. Pelosi said some Democrats had approached her asking if they should arrange for family members to be in Washington for the occasion.
“Why does your family want to come to this thing in the first place?” she said, drawing laughter, according to the aide. “I wouldn’t spend any money to come out here.”“Why does your family want to come to this thing in the first place?” she said, drawing laughter, according to the aide. “I wouldn’t spend any money to come out here.”
Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the chairman of the House Democratic caucus, told reporters, that “unless the government is reopened, it’s highly unlikely that the State of the Union will take place on the floor of the House of Representatives.” Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, told reporters, that “unless the government is reopened, it’s highly unlikely that the State of the Union will take place on the floor of the House of Representatives.”