President Trump is giving a prime-time address on Tuesday evening, and will talk about what he says is a “Humanitarian and National Security crisis on our Southern Border.”
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
The New York Times’ Maggie Haberman and Eileen Sullivan broke the story earlier on Monday that Trump wanted to give a prime-time address later this week regarding the government shutdown. He appeared to confirm that in a tweet this afternoon.
Cable news looks to be on board. A Fox News spokesperson told us that they will carry the address. A Fox Business spokesperson said FBN will carry it as well. CNN confirmed to us it will carry it too, and we’re still waiting to hear back from MSNBC.
But the decision is more significant for broadcast TV. We reached out to ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox Broadcasting to find out whether they will televise Trump’s address. According to a network source, time has indeed been requested for 9 p.m., and it’s being discussed.
For the Big 4, the Tuesday, 9 p.m. hour does not feature their highest-rated programming. This could play a role in whether they televise the address or not.
For CBS, the president’s remarks would air after NCIS, and cut into the new drama, FBI (a bit ironic). For NBC, the address would cut into the Ellen DeGeneres-hosted game show, Ellen’s Game of Games. For ABC, sitcoms Black-ish and Splitting Up Together air in the Tuesday, 9 p.m. slot. On Fox, The Gifted airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET.
Will the networks be deemed “anti-Trump” if they don’t carry the address? One former Obama official provided some historical context via Twitter:
Except they didn’t give Obama time in 2014 because they believed his speech about immigration would be “overtly partisan.” So this should be a relatively easy decision. https://t.co/yveysBWoKg
— Jon Favreau (@jonfavs) January 7, 2019
This address comes in the midst of what has been a lengthy partial shutdown of the U.S. government, with President Trump stating that the government will remain closed until he is given more than $5 billion in funding for a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border.
The new Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, has publicly said that the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives will not provide Trump with that type of funding for a wall.
Roughly 800,000 federal workers are being affected by the partial government shutdown, and many aren’t getting paid for the first time this week.