Trump had to postpone a 'grand' appeal to the nation because of the shutdown

After the confrontation with the Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, US President Donald Trump announced that he would make a report “On the State of the Country” “after the completion of the shatdaun,” writes “Voice of America".

“Because of the shutdown, Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Congress Nancy Pelosi invited me to make a statement. I agreed. She then changed her mind again because of the shutdown, suggested a later date. This is her prerogative. I will deliver an address when the shatdaun is completed, ”- he wrote.

"I will not look for another place for this report, because no other place can compete with the history, tradition and importance of the House of Representatives' meeting room."

Trump said he hopes to make a "grand" speech "in the near future."

Earlier, Pelosi asked Trump to make a report after the shutdown ended, but the White House tried to ignore her request, announcing that Trump continues to focus on the January 29 date.

After that, Pelosi blocked this move, saying to the White House on Wednesday that the House of Representatives would not approve the resolution allowing Trump to speak at a joint meeting of the Congress chambers.

The president reacted to this, calling the speaker’s actions "disgrace."

"She does not want to hear the truth," Trump told reporters. “She doesn’t want the American public to know what is going on.”

According to the president, the speaker’s refusal to allow him to speak before both chambers of Congress before resuming the work of the government in full will lay "a big spot on the incredible country that we all love."

Trump suggested that Pelosi’s actions would be remembered as “a very negative part of the story.”

After that, he announced that the Democrats "have become a very dangerous party in this country."

On Wednesday afternoon, Pelosi announced that lawmakers would not allow President Trump to address the Congress with an annual appeal until the government’s suspension of work was completed.

Photo: Gage Skidmore / Flickr / Wikimedia Commonsflickr

The letter Pelosi sent to Trump says: "I bring to your attention that the House of Representatives will not accept a joint resolution authorizing the president to make an annual appeal to the lower house (Congress) until the work of the government is resumed."

To address the Congress, the president must obtain permission from the legislators. To this end, they adopt a joint resolution allowing the head of state to make an appeal “On the situation in the country”.

A joint resolution is a resolution of the Congress, which must be separately adopted by both chambers.

Earlier wednesday president trump sent a letter Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, stating that she is looking forward to her appeal “On the situation in the country”, which is to be held on January 29 in the House of Representatives.

“It would be very sad for our country if the State of the Union address were not held on time, as scheduled and, importantly, in the proper location,” Trump wrote in the letter, a copy of which was released by the White House.

Pelosi previously asked Trump consider to transfer the appeal in connection with the partial closure of the government, which, according to her, causes security problems, since the Secret Service and the Ministry of Internal Security ended up in those 25 percent of federal agencies whose work was suspended.

“There are no problems with ensuring security in connection with the State of Affairs address.” Therefore, I will accept your invitation and fulfill my constitutional duty to convey important information about the state of the country to the people and the Congress of the United States of America,” Trump said in his letter.

Earlier, the White House announced plans to move the annual appeal to another place, including a political rally, depending on whether the “shatdaun” will continue.

The president is obliged to report annually to the Congress on the situation in the country, but there is no rule requiring that the speech be held before the House of Representatives or before the Senate.

The first, last year's appeal of Trump "On the state of affairs in the country" lasted 80 minutes and became one of the most extensive in US history.

Since the days of President Lyndon Johnson (1960-ies), the appeals “On the situation in the country” are televised live on prime time. Johnson shifted the time of treatment at the time when the maximum number of people watching TV.

Franklin Roosevelt, the only president in the country who served four terms, was the first to use the title “On the State of the Country” during World War II. His successor Harry Truman continued to use this name in 1947, when the appeal was first broadcast on television. Previously used the name "Annual Message".

In 1913, Woodrow Wilson revived the previously existing practice of personally addressing. Calvin Coolidge’s appeal for the first time was broadcast on radio in 1923.

Only two presidents never spoke with such treatment: William Henry Harrison, who died within a month after his inauguration in 1841, and James Garfield, who was killed six months after taking office in 1881.