WASHINGTON _ North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore invited President Donald Trump to give his State of the Union address at his state's General Assembly chambers.
The speaker sent a letter to the president Friday after Speaker Nancy Pelosi suggested Wednesday Trump postpone the address until after the shutdown is over. Moore's letter said North Carolina would be a great backdrop for the address, and he mentioned that Bill Clinton addressed the body in 1997 during his term as president.
"North Carolina, like Washington D.C., has a balanced government that provides opportunity for all voices to be heard through dialogue rather than division," Moore said in the letter.
Both North Carolina's House of Representatives and Senate are controlled by Republicans. The governor, Roy Cooper, is a Democrat.
"The majestic character of our state House chamber and the splendor of North Carolina's breathtaking landscapes are a fitting venue to deliver your second State of the Union address," Moore said.
Pelosi later asked Trump to delay the speech or deliver it in writing, citing security concerns that are typically in place for the annual address, which brings most of the government's power into one room of the Capitol.
The shutdown is now in its 28th day.
