President Trump Donald John TrumpBarr criticizes DOJ in speech declaring all agency power 'is invested in the attorney general' Military leaders asked about using heat ray on protesters outside White House: report Powell warns failure to reach COVID-19 deal could 'scar and damage' economy MORE invited representatives from broadcast and cable news outlets to lunch on Tuesday ahead of his prime-time address from the Oval Office later in the evening.

The New York Times reported on Tuesday that Trump had extended the invitation ahead of his address on the border wall and the current partial government shutdown. It was unclear who was invited.

Anchor Bret Baier represented Fox News, according to a tweet he sent.

.@BretBaier is Fox News's representative at today's Trump/anchor lunch, per source familiar. Lunch is off-record, but in past, POTUS has agreed to go on-record. — Michael M. Grynbaum (@grynbaum) January 8, 2019

I can confirm that. https://t.co/wowCtZey8q — Bret Baier (@BretBaier) January 8, 2019

The White House did not immediately reply to a request for comment from The Hill.

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The invitation to the Roosevelt Room from the president comes after several networks, including ABC, NBC, CBS and MSNBC, deliberated for hours on Monday afternoon about whether to broadcast the the Oval Office address.



All the major broadcast and cable networks networks ended up agreeing to air the speech.

The networks went ahead despite apprehension made privately by some executives that the president will use the free airtime to overtly push a political agenda around wall funding, which is the sticking point in the ongoing government shutdown.



The White House informed the networks on Monday the speech will last no longer than eight minutes.



Democrats also requested equal time to respond, which was granted. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiPowell warns failure to reach COVID-19 deal could 'scar and damage' economy Overnight Defense: House to vote on military justice bill spurred by Vanessa Guillén death | Biden courts veterans after Trump's military controversies Intelligence chief says Congress will get some in-person election security briefings MORE (Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer Chuck SchumerDemocrats scramble on COVID-19 relief amid division, Trump surprise Pelosi, Schumer 'encouraged' by Trump call for bigger coronavirus relief package Schumer, Sanders call for Senate panel to address election security MORE (N.Y.) will provide the Democratic rebuttal.



The lunch invitation is not uncommon before consequential addressed made by the president. In the past, presidents of both parties have invited television anchors to meet at the White House before the State of the Union, for example.