Trump delays State of the Union until after shutdown

WASHINGTON (FOX 46 CHARLOTTE) - President Donald Trump says he will wait until after the government shutdown is over to give the State of the Union Address. App users click here for embed content.

The president made the announcement through his @realDonaldTrump Twitter account Wednesday night. Trump said that he is not looking for an alternative venue 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," Trump tweeted.

The move comes shortly after Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) denied Trump the use of the House chamber. Pelosi had asked Trump to delay the speech until after the shutdown, but the White House tried to ignore the request, announcing Trump would move forward with the Jan. 29 date. But Pelosi blocked the move, telling the White House earlier Wednesday that the House would not approve a resolution allowing Trump to address a joint session of Congress.

In response, President Trump says he will do an "alternative" event. He called cancellation was a "disgrace", but did not detail his next move.

Republicans have also criticized Pelosi's decision to block Trump from delivering the State of the Union Address. South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, a close Trump ally, said Pelosi's action "sets a new low for American politics." He called Pelosi's decision "absurd, petty and shameful," adding: "The judgment of history will not be kind."

It was the latest round of brinkmanship between the president and Pelosi as they remain locked in an increasingly personal standoff over Trump's demand for border wall money that has forced a partial government shutdown, now in its second month.

Trump says he looks forward to giving a "great" speech "in the near future!"

The Associated Press contributed to this report. FOX 46 reported on this story from Charlotte, N.C.