Trump, Pelosi agree on Feb 5 for State of the Union address
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump will deliver the annual State of the Union address next week after accepting an invitation from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who had postponed it due to the partial shutdown of the US government.
The televised address, set for Feb 5, presents Mr Trump with a powerful opportunity to appeal to the public to support his policies, including his demand that Congress fund a wall along the US border with Mexico.
The speech had originally been scheduled for yesterday, but Mrs Pelosi cancelled it last week, saying it should not be delivered until the partial government shutdown was over.
The record-long shutdown ended last Friday after 35 days.
In a letter to Mr Trump on Monday that she posted to Twitter, Mrs Pelosi said the two had spoken and agreed on the new date.
"It is my great honour to accept," Mr Trump wrote in reply.
Last month, Mrs Pelosi had suggested to Mr Trump that he reschedule the speech, citing security concerns related to the shutdown, and the next day Mr Trump blocked an overseas trip that Mrs Pelosi had planned in a move many saw as retribution.
Last week, Mr Trump told Mrs Pelosi he was looking forward to delivering the speech as scheduled, but Mrs Pelosi - the top ranking Democrat in Congress - quickly yanked her invitation in what was widely seen as an effort to deprive Mr Trump of the national spotlight in the middle of the border wall fight. - REUTERS
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