The United States Secret Service is pushing back against claims from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that agents are incapable of providing sufficient security for President Trump's State of the Union address due to the government shutdown.
"We've been planning for this for months, as we always do. It didn't start up 29 days ago," the official said. (2/2)
— Peter Alexander (@PeterAlexander) January 16, 2019
Pelosi essentially tried to use the agency as a political pawn as she continues her refusal to negotiate with President Trump on border security.
"The U.S. Secret Service was designated as the lead federal agency responsible for coordinating, planning, exercising, and implementing security for National Special Security Events by Public Law 106-544, December 19, 2000. However, both the U.S. Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security have not been funded for 26 days now – with critical departments hamstrung by furloughs," Pelosi wrote in a letter to the president Wednesday.
"Sadly, given the security concerns and unless government re-opens this week, I suggest that we work together to determine another suitable date after government has re-opened for this address or for you to consider delivering your State of the Union address in writing to the Congress on January 29th," she argued.
Today, I wrote to @realDonaldTrump recommending that we delay the State of the Union until after government re-opens, as the @SecretService, the lead federal agency for #SOTU security, faces its 26th day without funding. https://t.co/K2oL8WGvqo pic.twitter.com/g3fIlxDbbK
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) January 16, 2019
Fox News's John Roberts says a DHS official told him that no one from Pelosi's office called the Secret Service to ask if they had concerns about SOTU before she sent that letter. #StateoftheUnion #GovernmentShutdown
— Cortney O'Brien (@obrienc2) January 16, 2019
Earlier this month, Pelosi invited President Trump to give the State of the Union address. She hasn't officially rescinded the invitation.
