House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer on Wednesday said President Donald Trump's State of the Union address "is off."

Earlier Wednesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi sent a letter to Trump that called on the president to postpone the address or submit it in writing, citing security concerns linked to the ongoing government shutdown.

"The speaker is the one who invites the president," Hoyer told CNN, adding, "The State of the Union is off."

A representative for Hoyer later told INSIDER he had "not read Speaker Pelosi's letter and mischaracterized it" when he told CNN that the State of the Union address, set for January 29, "is off."

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer on Wednesday said President Donald Trump's State of the Union address "is off."

"The speaker is the one who invites the president," Hoyer told CNN, adding, "The State of the Union is off."

Earlier Wednesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi sent a letter to Trump telling him to either postpone the annual address — set to be delivered before a joint session of Congress on January 29 — or submit it in writing, citing security concerns linked to the government shutdown.

"Sadly, given the security concerns and unless government re-opens this week, I suggest that we work together to determine another suitable date after government has re-opened for this address or for you to consider delivering your State of the Union address in writing to the Congress on January 29th," Pelosi said.

Read more: Nancy Pelosi suggests Trump either postpone his State of the Union address until after the government shutdown ends, or submit it in writing

"The U.S. Secret Service was designated as the lead federal agency responsible for coordinating, planning, exercising, and implementing security for National Special Security Events by Public Law 106-544, December 19, 2000," Pelosi added. "However, both the U.S. Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security have not been funded for 26 days now — with critical departments hamstrung by furloughs."

A representative for Hoyer told INSIDER he had "not read Speaker Pelosi's letter and mischaracterized it" when he told CNN that the State of the Union address "is off."

The government shutdown, the longest in US history, is a product of Trump's insistence on obtaining funding for a wall he wishes to build along the US-Mexico border. Democrats have refused to grant the funding.

Read more: Members of Congress used to wait hours to get the best seats for the State of the Union — but some of them don't want to be seen with Trump this year

If Trump were to deliver the State of the Union address on January 29 amid the impasse, it would be the first to occur during a government shutdown.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from INSIDER.