"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," Trump said in a Twitter post.
Earlier in the day, Trump has asked US television networks for a chance to address the nation on Tuesday to explain the continuing partial US government shutdown and the need for a border wall, New York Times reports said on Monday. The White House has asked the TV networks to interrupt their programming during prime time viewing hours for an Oval Office address, the New York Times reported, citing a person familiar with the request.
Shortly before that, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders stated that Trump would travel to the US-Mexico border on Thursday to meet with those on the frontlines of the nation's security.
"President @realDonaldTrump will travel to the Southern border on Thursday to meet with those on the front lines of the national security and humanitarian crisis. More details will be announced soon," Sanders said in a Twitter post on Monday.
Trump has been threatening to declare a national emergency to bypass Congress to build a wall on the border. However, in a statement posted on Twitter earlier on Monday, the president said he would prefer reaching a funding deal with Congress.
READ MORE: 'I Can Do It if I Want': Trump Says Could Use Emergency Powers for Border Wall
The border wall is the primary sticking point in negotiations with Democrats in the US Congress to end a partial government shutdown, which has dragged on for 17 days.
The US government has endured a partial shutdown for nearly three weeks after Trump refused to approve a funding bill because it did not include more than $5 billion to build a wall along the border with Mexico.
READ MORE: ‘Wall Will Never Be Built': Notorious Mexican Psychic on Trump's Shutdown Demand
The president told Democrats last he was willing to keep the government closed for months or even years until he gets the border issue resolved.
