Trump is free to show up at the House of Representatives on January 29. He can even come on to the House floor, but without Pelosi’s permission, he can’t speak or deliver his State Of The Union.
McClatchy reported on what Pelosi can and can’t do:
Pelosi can use House rules to silence Trump.
Whether Trump could just get up on the dais and start delivering his State of the Union address is another question. Nothing could physically stop Trump from speaking in the House chamber, but there is a strict set of rules governing what is allowed to take place on the floor and what would be subject to condemnation.
In order for someone to deliver formal remarks in the House of Representatives, the chamber must be “in session,†which is at the discretion of the speaker.
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Pelosi can also keep C-SPAN from televising his speech
Pelosi can also turn off the C-SPAN cameras so that Trump’s speech is not broadcast live. Republicans could film the speech and stream it on social media, and then C-SPAN could show the phone taped speech, but the whole thing would be a fiasco that would be beneath the presidency. That said, it is difficult to see Speaker Pelosi stopping Trump from speaking or turning off the cameras on the House floor. It is likely that Democrats vote down the resolution that needs to pass so that a joint session of Congress can be held.
If Trump shows up at the House uninvited, he’ll be in a place where Democrats control the rules
As the White House, tries to strong-arm their way to a SOTU, they need to be aware that Trump can’t muscle his way into the House. Democrats control the rules, and if Trump tries to show up to deliver a State Of The Union, he may leave totally humiliated. Democrats have the power, as they have shown during the government shutdown, they have no fear of standing up to Trump and telling him no.
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Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
