House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said Wednesday it was "unbecoming of the office" for Speaker Nancy Pelosi to call for a postponement or cancellation of President Trump's planned January 29 State of the Union address.

“I think Speaker Pelosi is playing politics like I’ve never seen a speaker before,” McCarthy, R-Calif., told the Washington Examiner Wednesday. “I think it’s unbecoming of the office to disinvite the president. The American people have the right to be able to hear the president and the president has a right to deliver a state of the union.”

Pelosi, D-Calif., said in a letter to Trump that the partial government shutdown would make it difficult to secure the event, which is attended by members of all three branches of government and typically requires a massive law enforcement presence.

But McCarthy said the partial government shutdown, now nearing 30 days, does not prevent essential government employees such as the Capitol Police and other security, from coming to work.

“It’s not a security issue,” McCarthy argued. “It’s pure politics.”

Pelosi has not officially canceled the address, but has asked Trump to delay his speech until the government is fully reopened. She said he could alternatively send his address in writing.

[Related: Kirstjen Nielsen pushes back on Pelosi’s State of the Union ‘security concerns’]