Trump still plans to deliver Jan. 29 State of the Union address: official

Last updated on September 25th, 2023 at 08:50 pm

Don't Miss Sarah Jones's Essay On Kristi Noem Titled Predatory Is The Point On The Daily.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump still plans to deliver his annual State of the Union address from the Capitol later this month as scheduled, a Trump administration official said on Tuesday as the federal government shutdown stretched into its second month.

The White House has sent a request to the House of Representatives’ sergeant at arms seeking a “walk-through” for the Jan. 29 speech, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Fox News had earlier reported the request.

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi last week called on Trump to reconsider delivering the president’s annual address before a gathering of both chambers of Congress and other dignitaries given that about one-quarter of the U.S. government has been shuttered since Dec. 22.

Trump is required to provide Congress a report on the nation, but is not required to deliver it in a live, televised address before U.S. lawmakers. Pelosi, in a Dec. 16 letter to the president, urged Trump to postpone it or to give it in writing.

The president then stopped Pelosi from using a military aircraft for a congressional delegation’s planned visit of U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

(Reporting by Steve Holland and Tim Ahmann; Writing by Susan Heavey; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)