Donald Trump will deliver a televised address at 9pm US eastern time tonight (Jan. 8), part of his ongoing attempt to pressure Democrats to approve more federal spending for his signature border wall.
What you need to know about Trump’s speech
The Trump administration created a crisis at the US border with Mexico by putting new restrictions on asylum seekers. Then the president demanded $5 billion to “fix” it, part of his continual call to build the border wall he has long promised supporters. When he didn’t get the money, Trump sparked a partial government shutdown, putting nearly 800,000 people out of work. The shutdown has now entered its 18th day, making it the longest since 1995.
Trump announced his address in a tweet yesterday, before the major networks confirmed granting him the time slot.
There is no documented “national security crisis,” though there is a humanitarian one, due to Trump’s policies.
What time does Trump speak?
CBS told The Hill that the address will start at 9:01:30 pm, and that the White House said the speech will last no longer than eight minutes. But as CNN notes, “With Trump, there were other factors to consider, including his record of deception and his tendency to ramble off script in long speeches.”
Following a demand by congressional Democrats that they be given a chance to rebut Trump’s comments, the major networks said they would air a Democratic response after the president’s speech.
How to watch Trump’s speech on network TV
All of the major US broadcast networks will air the speech live:
How to watch Trump’s speech on cable
The major cable-news outlets will offer the speech live as well:
How to watch Trump’s speech online
The speech can be seen on the White House YouTube channel, plus these networks’ sites: