Conservatives erupted with celebration Thursday after former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced she would not seek reelection — ending her storied, four-decade career in Congress.
Pelosi, 85, shared the news in a video posted to social media, saying she was grateful for her years representing San Francisco. “There has been no greater honor for me than to stand on the House floor and say, ‘I speak for the people of San Francisco,’” she said. “With a grateful heart, I look forward to my final year of service as your proud representative.”
The longtime Democratic leader’s exit drew a wave of reaction online — much of it mocking. Conservative commentator Stephen Miller quipped, “Pelosi isn’t retiring. She’s just cashing out,” referencing years of scrutiny over her husband Paul Pelosi’s lucrative stock trades.
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., used the moment to promote his “PELOSI Act,” which would ban members of Congress and their spouses from trading stocks. “Nancy Pelosi is retiring — perfect time to pass the PELOSI Act,” Hawley wrote.
Finance and political accounts piled on. Geiger Capital called her “the greatest to ever do it,” a tongue-in-cheek nod to her market success. Others demanded term limits, with Florida journalist Eric Daugherty writing, “We need term limits. Pelosi has caused a lot of damage to the country.”
Even President Donald Trump weighed in, calling her retirement a “great thing,” while labeling her “evil” and sarcastically crediting her for his two impeachments.
Pelosi’s decision comes just days after she called Trump “a vile creature” and “the worst thing on the face of the earth” in a CNN interview — remarks that sparked backlash and renewed calls for her retirement.
Media outlets, meanwhile, struck a different tone. Even critics acknowledged Pelosi’s historic role as the first female Speaker of the House and her legislative influence in passing landmark bills such as the Affordable Care Act.
Still, her retirement closes one of the most polarizing and consequential political chapters in modern U.S. history — one marked by power, partisanship, and an unrelenting knack for shaping Washington on her terms.