The White House is moving forward with plans for President Donald Trump to deliver his State of the Union speech next week in front of a joint session of Congress despite a letter from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi requesting he delay it.
The White House sent an email to the House sergeant-at-arms asking to schedule a walk-through in anticipation of a January 29 address, according to a White House official who was not authorized to discuss the planning by name and spoke on condition of anonymity.
"Nancy Pelosi made the invitation to the president on the State of the Union. He accepted," said White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
"At this point, we're moving forward."
"We have no announcement at this time," he said, "but Nancy Pelosi does not dictate to the president when he will or will not have a conversation with the American people."
Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen responded by assuring that DHS and Secret Service were "fully prepared to support and secure the State of the Union."
Asked about the letter by reporters Tuesday, Pelosi did not address the White House's decision, saying only: "We just want people to get paid for their work."
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