Secret Service Can’t Perform Walk-Throughs of Capitol Building Ahead of State of the Union

The Secret Service cannot do walk-throughs of the Capitol building in preparation for the State of the Union address, according to internal emails reviewed by The Daily Beast. Despite that limitation, the agency is still preparing to provide security for President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address. The emails show that officials with the agency are gearing up for the address despite Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s announcement that Trump is not welcome to deliver it while the government is shut down. A meeting is planned for Jan. 22 to discuss security, according to the emails. “U.S. Secret Service planning for the State of the Union is ongoing,” agency spokesperson Mason Brayman emailed. “We do not comment on our protective operations.” Pelosi said the Secret Service was “hamstrung by furloughs,” and that the president’s invitation to deliver the address was rescinded because of “security concerns.”

— Betsy Woodruff