Nancy Pelosi urges President Trump to delay State of the Union Address

Nancy Pelosi asked President Trump on Wednesday to postpone his State of the Union address — or deliver it in writing — if the government shutdown doesn’t end this week, an extraordinary suggestion that touched off a day of maneuvering and political theater from the White House to Capitol Hill.

FOX NEWS – House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday urged President Trump to delay his State of the Union address until after the partial government shutdown ends, or to consider submitting the address in writing.

Pelosi made the suggestions in a letter to Trump.

She wrote: “Sadly, given the security concerns and unless government re-opens this week, I suggest that we work together to determine another suitable date after the government has re-opened for this address or for you to consider delivering your State of the Union address in writing to the Congress on January 29th.”

In the letter she also claims that the Secret Service hasn’t been funded during the government shutdown, suggesting there would be security concerns.

“On January 3rd, it was my privilege as Speaker to invite you to deliver the State of the Union address on January 29. The Constitution calls for the President ‘from time to time give the Congress Information of the State of the Union,” Pelosi wrote, but noted that “since the start of modern budgeting in Fiscal Year 1977, a State of the Union address has never been delivered during a government shutdown.”

You can read the full letter below:

Speaker Pelosi sends letter to Pres Trump saying that unless the shutdown ends they should reschedule his State of the Union Address, or just provide it in writing —

So far I haven’t found any response by the White House to the letter. But my guess is that Trump would want to use the bully pulpit of the SOTU to put more pressure on Democrats during the shutdown, and perhaps that’s the real reason why Pelosi doesn’t want him to give it.