2/5/2019

DEMS/NANCY PELOSI/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/WALL: “When President Donald Trump climbs the rostrum to deliver his second State of the Union address, he’ll share the stage with the Democrat who has become his most vexing political rival: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. White House aides say Trump intends to deliver a speech focused on bipartisanship. But sitting just over his left shoulder in the House chamber, the California Democrat will be a stark reminder of the precarious state of his proposed border wall, the negotiations to avoid another government shutdown and his legislative agenda for the next two years. Associates of Pelosi and Trump said the president appears to have initially misread the speaker and underestimated her willingness to stand firm against his demands for money to pay for a border wall. Trump ultimately agreed to temporarily end a 35-day government shutdown last month even though the short-term funding bill included no money for his border wall.”

Eliza Collins and John Fritze, “Donald Trump’s power dynamic with Nancy Pelosi will be on full display at the State of the Union,” USA Today, February 5, 2019 5:50 pm