Nancy Pelosi reveals why she rarely calls Trump by his name, refers to ex-POTUS as 'what's his name'
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA: Nancy Pelosi has revealed why she rarely refers to former president Donald Trump by name, opting instead to call him “what’s his name.”
In a candid interview on The Guardian’s 'Politics Weekly America' podcast, the former House speaker explained that she finds Trump’s name “a grotesque word.”
Nancy Pelosi says she avoids saying Donald Trump's name for personal reasons
Revealing why she does not want to call Donald Trump by his name, Nancy Pelosi said, “I’m afraid, you know, when I grew up Catholic, as I am now, if you said a bad word, you could burn in hell if you didn’t have a chance to confess."
“So I don’t want to take any chances,” she added.
When asked by podcast host Jonathan Freedland if she equates Trump’s name with swearing, Pelosi replied, “It’s up there with, like, swearing.”
Nancy Pelosi's rare slip as she says Donald Trump’s name
During the interview, Nancy Pelosi made a rare exception and mentioned Donald Trump by name while discussing his attacks on freedom of speech.
However, she quickly backtracked, saying, “I said his name, oh my gosh. I hope I don’t burn in hell,” according to The Independent.
Pelosi’s disdain for Trump has been clear throughout his presidency and beyond, with the two frequently clashing during her time as speaker.
Her decision to refrain from using his name is yet another indication of how she perceives his influence and legacy.
Nancy Pelosi addresses rumors about pressuring Joe Biden to leave the race
In the interview, Nancy Pelosi also touched on reports that she had pressured President Joe Biden to drop out of the 2024 presidential race.
While she denied spearheading any campaign against Biden, she acknowledged that she had encouraged her party to “get on a better course” as the election approached.
“I have the greatest respect for him. I think he’s one of the great consequential presidents of our country,” Pelosi said of Biden. “I think his legacy had to be protected. I didn’t see that happening in the course that it was on, the election was on,” she added.
Pelosi had previously denied calling anyone to advocate for Biden’s departure, but her remarks to The Guardian reflect a desire to ensure that the Democratic Party remains competitive as the 2024 election intensifies.
Nancy Pelosi agrees with Mark Milley’s 'fascist' comment about Donald Trump
Nancy Pelosi also agreed with former Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley, who recently described Donald Trump as “fascist to the core.”
Milley, who was appointed by Trump in 2019, made the comment as the former president ramps up his campaign for the 2024 Republican nomination.
“Milley’s comment, ‘fascist to the core,’ speaks to the actions that [Trump] has taken,” Pelosi said, pointing to Trump’s treatment of the press and his use of the term “fake news” to discredit media coverage.
“Trivialize the press, fake news – that is a tactic of fascist governments,” said the former House speaker.
Recalling a particularly memorable moment from her interactions with Trump, Pelosi referenced an incident during a cabinet meeting when she left the room in protest.
“There’s one picture of me leaving the Roosevelt Room at the cabinet meeting. And I’m pointing to him and I’m saying, ‘I’m leaving this meeting because with you, Mr. President, all roads lead to Putin,’" she said.
