Trump Says he'll Give State of Union After Shutdown Ends

President Donald Trump late Wednesday announced he would not hold a State of the Union address until after the partial government shutdown, now in its fifth week, is over.

The announcement made shortly after 11 p.m. seemingly puts to rest a dispute between the president and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., over whether the address would be held.

Pelosi said in a letter earlier Wednesday, "I am writing to inform you that the House of Representatives will not consider a concurrent resolution authorizing the President's State of the Union address in the House Chamber until the government has opened," she wrote to Trump.

A resolution must be passed by the House and the Senate to allow the president to speak in the House.

Trump initially responded to the letter telling reporters that he would give the speech at another venue. But on Wednesday night, he said via Twitter that he wasn't considering alternative locations and that he would wait to give his address after the government reopens "because there is no venue that can compete with the history, tradition, and importance of the House Chamber."

As the Shutdown was going on, Nancy Pelosi asked me to give the State of the Union Address. I agreed. She then changed her mind because of the Shutdown, suggesting a later date. This is her prerogative - I will do the Address when the Shutdown is over. I am not looking for an....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 24, 2019

Pelosi responded on Twitter to Trump on Wednesday night by encouraging him to support an effort to end the shutdown.

"Mr. President, I hope by saying 'near future' you mean you will support the House-passed package to #EndTheShutdown that the Senate will vote on tomorrow," Pelosi wrote. "Please accept this proposal so we can re-open the government, repay our federal workers and then negotiate our differences."

Earlier Wednesday, Trump said, "The State of the Union speech has been canceled by Nancy Pelosi because she doesn’t want to hear the truth. She doesn’t want the American public to hear what’s going on.”