President Trump Donald John TrumpObama calls on Senate not to fill Ginsburg's vacancy until after election Planned Parenthood: 'The fate of our rights' depends on Ginsburg replacement Progressive group to spend M in ad campaign on Supreme Court vacancy MORE said Wednesday he will forge ahead with plans to deliver the State of the Union address in the House chamber on Jan. 29, despite objections from Speaker Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiPelosi: Ginsburg successor must uphold commitment to 'equality, opportunity and justice for all' Bipartisan praise pours in after Ginsburg's death Pelosi orders Capitol flags at half-staff to honor Ginsburg MORE (D-Calif.).

In a letter to Pelosi, Trump said he has been assured by national security officials there are “no security concerns regarding the State of the Union address” and “therefore, I will be honoring your invitation.”

“It would be so very sad for our country if the State of the Union were not delivered on time, on schedule, and very importantly, on location!” Trump wrote.

President Trump’s letter to Speaker Pelosi on the State of the Union pic.twitter.com/B4QN9hDJnv — Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) January 23, 2019

The president’s move puts the onus on Pelosi and congressional Democrats to decide whether to block his appearance next week.

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Pelosi can nix Trump’s plans by refusing to hold a vote on a resolution that formally invites him to speak before a joint session of Congress in the House chamber.

Lawmakers have yet to pass such a resolution, which is considered a necessary step to hold the annual address in the Capitol.

Pelosi’s office has not yet responded to Trump’s letter.

Trump’s advisers suggested the president was essentially daring to Pelosi to prevent him from delivering the State of the Union.

“It would be, I think, remarkably petty of the Speaker to disinvite the president of the United States to address the nation that they both serve at the highest level,” White House counselor Kellyanne Conway Kellyanne Elizabeth ConwayGeorge and Kellyanne Conway honor Ginsburg Trump carries on with rally, unaware of Ginsburg's death George Conway hits Trump on 9/11 anniversary: 'The greatest threat to the safety and security of Americans' MORE said on Fox News.

Conway accused Pelosi of being “someone who doesn’t always have control of her temper about the president.”

The White House released Trump’s letter after a top Democrat said earlier Wednesday that it was all but certain party leaders would prevent Trump from delivering his address next week if the government remains partially closed.

“I can say that unless the government is reopened, it’s highly unlikely that the State of the Union is going to take place on the floor of the United States House of Representatives,” Rep. Hakeem Jeffries Hakeem Sekou JeffriesPelosi: House will stay in session until agreement is reached on coronavirus relief Races heat up for House leadership posts Postmaster general earned millions from company with ties to Postal Service: report MORE (D-N.Y.), the head of the House Democratic Caucus, told reporters in the Capitol.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer Steny Hamilton HoyerHouse Democrats postpone vote on marijuana decriminalization bill Democrats scramble on COVID-19 relief amid division, Trump surprise The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by The Air Line Pilots Association - Pence lauds Harris as 'experienced debater'; Trump, Biden diverge over debate prep MORE (D-Md.) said Wednesday that Pelosi’s request for a delay is “reasonable,” since affected law enforcement officers will not be paid. But he also stressed that Democrats are confident that prominent figures expected to attend the State of the Union would be protected.

“The Capitol Police [and] Sergeant-at-Arms have assured us that we’ll be fully prepared if, in fact, there is a State of the Union address on the 29th,” Hoyer said during a press briefing in his Capitol office, shortly before Trump issued his letter to Pelosi.

Hoyer also seemed to endorse the idea that, if the president wants to speak on Tuesday he should be permitted to do so — shutdown or none.

“He’s the president of the United States. So if the president of the United States wants to speak to the Congress, the question was, ‘Was I willing to hear him?’ And the answer was, ‘Sure,’ ” Hoyer said.

The letter is the latest attempt at gamesmanship between Trump and Pelosi, who have battled for leverage in the shutdown fight that has lasted 33 days.

Pelosi last week requested that Trump postpone the speech, citing security concerns related to the shutdown. The Department of Homeland Security and the Secret Service, the agencies responsible for leading security planning, are both operating without funding.

The president responded by scrapping the Speaker’s planned congressional delegation travel to Brussels, Egypt and Afghanistan.

The White House, however, waited days to directly respond to Pelosi’s request to postpone his address.

On Tuesday, the White House hinted at its intentions by asking the House Sergeant-at-Arms to schedule a walk-through of the speech.

Pelosi first invited Trump to deliver the speech on Jan. 3, shortly after she took the Speaker’s gavel. The partial government shutdown began on Dec. 22.

— Mike Lillis contributed to this post, which was updated at 1:23 p.m.