Democratic leaders are upset that President Donald Trump will receive television coverage for his speech about the government shutdown on Tuesday — and they're making some demands.

In a statement released Monday after the president announced he would be giving a speech, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) demanded that Democrats be given the same consideration to present counterpoints.

"Now that the television networks have decided to air the President's address, which if his past statements are any indication will be full of malice and misinformation, Democrats must immediately be given equal airtime," they said in the joint statement.

Pelosi tweeted the same statement from her social media account:

Now that the television networks have decided to air @realDonaldTrump's address, which if his past statements are any indication will be full of malice and misinformation, Democrats must immediately be given equal airtime.

— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) January 8, 2019

Trump announced that he would speaking about the government shutdown and why there is such a need for a border wall to fend off illegal entry into the country.

Pelosi and Schumer have absolutely rejected any insistence from the president and his allies that Congress approve of a budget with border wall funding.

"I am pleased to inform you that I will Address the Nation on the Humanitarian and National Security crisis on our Southern Border," the president tweeted.

I am pleased to inform you that I will Address the Nation on the Humanitarian and National Security crisis on our Southern Border. Tuesday night at 9:00 P.M. Eastern.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2019

A senior White House official indicated that the address would take about 7 to 8 minutes.

Many on the left were outraged that the major television networks had agreed to give the president airtime.

"There's no reason networks should air Trump's latest reality-TV spectacle," tweeted former Clinton Secretary of Labor Robert Reich.

There's no reason networks should air Trump's latest reality-TV spectacle. It would just be another opportunity for him to spout lies to the American people, while distracting from the real issue: Trump's complete inability to govern. Don't fall for it. #BoycottTrumpsAddress

— Robert Reich (@RBReich) January 8, 2019

"It would just be another opportunity for him to spout lies to the American people, while distracting from the real issue: Trump's complete inability to govern," Reich added. "Don't fall for it."



Former Obama advisor Dan Pfeiffer also registered his anger on Twitter.

As long as the legacy media cares more appearing balanced than accurately informing the public, Trump and the rest of the Republicans who act in bad faith are going to have a structural political advantage.

— Dan Pfeiffer (@danpfeiffer) January 8, 2019

"As long as the legacy media cares more appearing balanced than accurately informing the public," Pfeiffer said, "Trump and the rest of the Republicans who act in bad faith are going to have a structural political advantage."



Here's more about the primetime address: