Trump says he'll deliver State of the Union when the shutdown is over

(Image credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

published 24 January 2019

President Trump tweeted late Wednesday night that he will give his State of the Union address once the government shutdown is over.

His announcement came after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) sent a letter informing him that she would not hold a vote on a resolution authorizing him to give his speech in the House chamber until the government re-opened. Trump tweeted that it was "her prerogative" to suggest that he deliver the State of the Union at a later date, and he will "do the Address when the Shutdown is over."

Trump also said he never looked for an alternative location to give the address, because "there is no venue that can complete 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!"

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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.