US President Donald Trump says he will delay the annual State of the Union address until the government shutdown is over.
As a shutdown that has left 800,000 federal workers without pay for 33 days, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi effectively disinvited Trump from delivering the speech in the House chamber until the government is fully opened.
The Republican president responded to the Democratic speaker on Twitter.
"This is her prerogative - I will do the Address when the Shutdown is over. I am not looking for an alternative venue for the SOTU Address because there is no venue that can compete with the history, tradition and importance of the House Chamber," the president said.
"I look forward to giving a "great" State of the Union Address in the near future!"
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The president triggered the shutdown last month by demanding money for his border wall.
This has been refused by Democrats, but they say they are drafting a funding offer as an alternative.
Democrat James Clyburn said Democrats could fulfill Trump's request for $US5.7 billion for border security with technological tools such as drones, X-rays and sensors, as well as more border patrol agents.
Clyburn's offer would be a significant monetary increase over bills previously passed by Democrats, which included only about $US1.3 billion for this year in additional border security, with none for a wall.
The battle over border security and government funding spilled over into a parallel dispute over the president's State of the Union address.
Trump sent a letter to Pelosi on Wednesday saying he looked forward to delivering it as scheduled next Tuesday in the House chamber.
Pelosi previously had asked Trump to consider postponing it because security could not be guaranteed during the shutdown.
But Pelosi told Trump on Wednesday the House would not consider a measure authorising his address until the shutdown ends.
"Again, I look forward to welcoming you to the House on a mutually agreeable date for this address when government has been opened," Pelosi said to Trump in a letter.
