(Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump accepted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s invitation to deliver his State of the Union address on Feb. 5, after the nationally televised speech was delayed a week because of the government shutdown battle.
“We have a great story to tell and yet, great goals to achieve!” Trump wrote Pelosi on Monday. “I look forward to seeing you on the 5th.”
Pelosi postponed the event, originally planned for Tuesday, saying it shouldn’t go forward during the partial government shutdown because security personnel weren’t being paid.
Trump signed legislation Friday reopening the government for about three weeks following a 35-day shutdown.
After Pelosi first raised the idea of postponing the speech, Trump prevented her from using a military plane to travel to Afghanistan to visit U.S. troops.
The president is expected to argue in the speech to both Houses of Congress that lawmakers adopt his proposed increase in border security funding, including $5.7 billion for wall construction.
Democrats have so far resisted that demand, and Trump has threatened to again close down the government or declare a national emergency that he says would allow him to bypass Congress and begin construction.
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