House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Friday that just because the federal government is expected to fully reopen soon does not necessarily mean that President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address will take place next week.
At a news conference following Trump’s announcement that there was a deal to end the partial government shutdown, Pelosi was asked by a reporter if the State of the Union will go on as originally scheduled for Tuesday night.
“The State of the Union is not planned now,” the California Democrat responded, standing next to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat. “What I said to the President is when the government is open we will discuss a mutually agreeable date, and I’ll look forward to doing that and welcoming the President to the House of Representatives for the State of the Union when we agree on that.”
A senior White House official appeared to agree that the President’s State of the Union address will not be on Tuesday.
Asked about a later date, the official said: “You need to ask the speaker that.”
Earlier this month, Pelosi told Trump that the State of the Union should either not happen while the government is partly closed or that he should deliver the address in writing, citing security concerns. Trump eventually agreed on Wednesday to not have the speech while the shutdown continued.
Having an address to a joint session of Congress requires both the House and Senate to pass a resolution allowing it to happen.
This story has been updated with additional developments.