Rep. Tom Emmer suggests House should reconsider State of the Union invites

House Leadership should reconsider inviting presidents to give an annual State of the Union, Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., told Axios.

Emmer shared his thoughts after President Joe Biden delivered a “divisive” speech on March 7, targeting former President Donald Trump with numerous verbal attacks.

“That was one of the most divisive State of the Union addresses — I wouldn’t extend him an invitation next year, if that’s the kind of speech we can expect,” Emmer told Axios at the House GOP retreat in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.

“He won’t be there next year — there will be a different president. But I believe we should reconsider issuing invitations for a State of the Union if it deviates from its purpose. That speech was not a unifying State of the Union, it was a campaign speech.”

Emmer emphasized that the president should have aimed to unite the country during the State of the Union instead of launching a partisan attack.

Biden, the presumptive Democratic Party nominee, could potentially be in office next year if he defeats former President Donald Trump, the expected Republican nominee, in the November general election.

Several Republicans tried to block Biden from addressing Congress this year.

Former House Freedom Caucus Chairman Scott Perry, R-Pa., called for Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to withdraw his invitation to Biden unless the president took stronger action on border security.

Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, introduced legislation in the upper chamber aimed at preventing Biden from delivering the speech unless he submitted his budget and national security proposal on time, as reported by the New York Post.

Biden’s State of the Union failed to resonate positively with most Americans, according to polls conducted after his speech.

A majority of registered voters in four polls indicated that Biden’s speech further divided the country rather than unified it.

The president’s address also did not improve his ratings in other polls conducted by YouGov, Yahoo, Rasmussen, FiveThirtyEight, and Morning Consult.