Nancy Pelosi Retires After Long Congressional Tenure

Watch: Memorable On-Camera Clashes Between Nancy Pelosi and Donald Trump

Nancy Pelosi Announces Retirement, Closing a Defining Chapter in U.S. Politics

Nancy Pelosi has revealed that she will retire from Congress, bringing to a close a decades-spanning career that cemented her as one of the most influential figures in American politics.

In a video statement released Thursday, the 85-year-old California Democrat confirmed she will not seek re-election when her current term concludes in January 2027.

Pelosi’s announcement marks the end of a remarkable political journey. Over the course of her tenure, she shattered glass ceilings as the first woman to serve as Speaker of the House and guided her party’s agenda in the chamber from 2003 to 2023.

“We have made history, we have made progress,” Pelosi reflected in her message, underscoring the legacy of leadership that has defined her time in office.

Pelosi Reflects on Legacy as She Bids Farewell to Congress

“We have always led the way, and now we must continue to do so by staying fully engaged in our democracy and defending the American ideals we hold dear,” Nancy Pelosi said in her announcement.

Turning her attention to her home city, she added, “As we go forward, my message to the city I love is this: San Francisco, know your power.”

Pelosi, who first entered Congress in 1987 at the age of 47, quickly ascended through the Democratic ranks to become one of Washington’s most powerful figures. In 2007, she made history as the first woman ever elected Speaker of the House—a position she would hold twice, from 2007 to 2011 and again from 2019 to 2023.

The speakership, the only congressional role explicitly outlined in the U.S. Constitution, is second in the presidential line of succession after the vice president. From that influential post, Pelosi shaped—or blocked—the legislative agendas of several presidents over her decades on Capitol Hill.

Pelosi’s Legacy: Architect of Landmark Legislation and Fierce Political Battles

Nancy Pelosi’s tenure in Congress is marked by her pivotal role in steering some of the most consequential legislation of the past two decades. She is widely recognized for guiding the passage of former President Barack Obama’s landmark Affordable Care Act and later advancing key infrastructure and climate initiatives under President Joe Biden.

Throughout Donald Trump’s presidency, Pelosi emerged as one of his most visible adversaries—her defiant gesture of tearing up his State of the Union address became a defining moment of their rivalry. To many Republicans, she embodied what they derided as “coastal elitism” and a progressive, big-government agenda, making her a frequent target of partisan attacks.

Pelosi led the House through two impeachments of Trump. The first, in 2019, centered on allegations that he pressured Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden while withholding military aid—a charge that resulted in Trump’s acquittal by the Republican-controlled Senate. The second, in 2021, followed the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol, when Trump was accused of inciting the mob that sought to overturn the 2020 election. He was acquitted once again.

Despite razor-thin Democratic majorities, Pelosi worked closely with President Biden to shepherd a sweeping legislative agenda through the House. Under her leadership, Democrats enacted a massive COVID-19 relief package, a bipartisan infrastructure bill, historic climate and social spending initiatives, and legislation securing federal protections for same-sex marriage.

In 2022, Pelosi handed over the reins of party leadership to Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York but remained a formidable force in Democratic politics. More recently, she played an instrumental role in the passage of California’s Proposition 50, a redistricting measure aimed at helping Democrats flip five congressional seats in the 2026 midterm elections.

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