Trump mocks 'evil' Nancy Pelosi's exit, calls it 'a great thing for America'

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump wasted no time in mocking former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s decision to retire, calling her exit “a great thing for America.”

Trump’s comments, reported by Fox News, came shortly on Thursday, November 6, after Pelosi, 85, announced she would not seek re-election at the end of her term, ending nearly four decades in Congress.

“The retirement of Nancy Pelosi is a great thing for America,” Trump said, according to Fox correspondent Peter Doocy.

“She was evil, corrupt, and only focused on bad things for our country,” Trump said.

Trump claims Nancy Pelosi was ‘losing control’ of Democrats

Trump added that Pelosi was “rapidly losing control of her party” and “was never coming back.”

He continued, “I’m very honored she impeached me twice and failed miserably twice. Nancy Pelosi is a highly overrated politician.”

Longstanding feud between two political giants

Pelosi and Trump’s political battles defined much of the late 2010s and early 2020s in Washington.

As Speaker, Pelosi led the Democratic-controlled House through two impeachment proceedings against Trump, both of which ended in acquittal in the Senate.

The first impeachment, in 2019, centered on allegations that Trump had withheld US aid to pressure Ukraine into investigating the family of his 2020 election rival, Joe Biden.

The second, in 2021, followed the January 6 Capitol attack, when a crowd of Trump supporters stormed Congress as lawmakers tried to certify Biden’s victory.

Pelosi accused Trump of “inciting an insurrection” and pushed for his swift impeachment. Trump, in turn, branded her “crazy Nancy” and claimed that she was leading a “witch hunt.”

Nancy Pelosi’s four decades of public life

Despite the political rancor, Pelosi’s career remains one of the most consequential in US history.

She became the first female Speaker of the House in 2007 and served as the top Democrat in the chamber for two decades, from 2002 to 2022.

A master vote-counter and strategist, Pelosi reportedly helped secure the passage of the Affordable Care Act under President Barack Obama, and later worked closely with President Joe Biden to push through the Inflation Reduction Act and other major legislation.

Pelosi’s rise to power began in 2001, when she won a leadership contest for House Minority Whip, defeating Rep Steny Hoyer of Maryland.

A year later, after Democrats failed to reclaim the House, she won another internal race to succeed Rep Dick Gephardt as minority leader, becoming the first woman to lead a major party in Congress.

After Democrats’ midterm victory in 2006, Pelosi made history again as the first woman elected Speaker.

She became both a symbol of Democratic unity and a lightning rod for Republican anger, reportedly, none more so than from Trump himself.