Originally published January 7, 2019 at 1:59 p.m., updated January 7, 2019 at 9:05 p.m.
WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer say Democrats should be given equal airtime after TV networks air President Donald Trump's scheduled address to the nation Tuesday night.
The Democratic leaders released a joint statement Monday, a day before Trump plans to brief the nation on his plans for a U.S.-Mexico wall and the status of the partial government shutdown, now in its 17th day. He plans to argue Tuesday that the "crisis" at the border requires the border wall he's demanding to end the shutdown
The president's prime-time address to the nation about the southern border will be aired live Tuesday by the major broadcast and cable television networks.
Representatives for ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox Broadcasting, Fox News Channel, Fox Business Network, MSNBC and NBC confirmed plans to air Trump's address at 9 p.m. Eastern.
Trump is delivering the address amid a partial government shutdown due to a stalemate with congressional Democrats over $5 billion the president wants to for a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. Democrats are refusing to pay for a wall.
The speech is part of a public relations blitz by the president on the issue. Trump has scheduled a trip to the border Thursday to highlight his demands for a wall.
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is to deliver a prime-time address Tuesday night on what he calls a border ‘crisis’ amid the ongoing shutdown fight .