House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Monday invited President Trump to deliver the State of the Union address on February 5 before a Joint Session of Congress in the House Chamber. The invitation from Pelosi came after a planned January 29 date to give the address was scuttled because of the partial government shutdown. President Trump responded later Monday accepting Pelosi’s invitation.
“It is my great honor to accept,” Trump said. “We have a great story to tell and yet, great goals to achieve.”
The State of the Union became a point of contention in the negotiations related to the partial government shutdown that ended Friday, January 25. Pelosi had originally invited President Trump on January 3 to give the speech on January 29. However, after the government shutdown continued for most of the month, Pelosi told President Trump in a letter that she would not allow him to address the nation in the House during the government shutdown.
Pelosi requested that President Trump postpone the address or deliver it in writing, citing security concerns. President Trump acquiesced to Pelosi’s request and agreed to reschedule the speech after the shutdown had ended.
The agreement to end the shutdown on Friday reopening the government for three weeks while congressional negotiators work to see if there is a potential deal related to border security, immigration issues, and President Trump’s campaign promise of a border wall, money for which had caused the standoff that led to the partial government shutdown.
The House and Senate still must pass a resolution officially inviting President Trump to speak to a joint session of Congress.
