Nancy Pelosi Drawn Into Trump’s State of the Union Jab as Stop Insider Trading Act Takes Center Stage

President Donald Trump used his State of the Union address to press Congress to pass the Stop Insider Trading Act and took a direct shot at Nancy Pelosi over a history of controversial stock trading, a moment that drew standing ovations, pointed reactions in the chamber and a flurry of social commentary. The exchange highlights renewed focus on legislation that would change how lawmakers and their families trade in publicly listed securities.

State of the Union push for the Stop Insider Trading Act

During the address the president urged lawmakers to "pass the Stop Insider Trading Act without delay, " urging safeguards so "members of Congress cannot corruptly profit from using insider information. " The call prompted members of both parties to stand. The Stop Insider Trading Act, introduced by Rep. Bryan Steil, is presented as a tougher approach to congressional trades than existing rules and was a central policy moment in the speech.

Nancy Pelosi’s presence and reaction in the chamber

The president singled out Nancy Pelosi by name while reacting to the applause, asking whether she had stood and saying he "doubt[ed] it. " The Pelosi family’s financial disclosures have frequently been cited by critics calling for stricter limits on congressional stock trading. Coverage notes that Pelosi, the former House speaker and a California Democrat, was in the chamber, sat next to Rep. Ro Khanna and took notes during the speech, and visibly glared when the remark landed. Other coverage characterizes Pelosi as a retiring representative.

What the Stop Insider Trading Act would change

The legislation introduced by Rep. Bryan Steil would bar members of Congress, their spouses and dependent children from purchasing publicly traded stocks. One description of the bill says it would require advance public notice before any sale; other descriptions indicate it would mandate a seven-day public notice before selling. The measure is framed as going beyond the 2012 STOCK Act’s reporting requirements. The bill has cleared a House committee and is awaiting a full vote in the lower chamber.

Political theater, allies and critics react

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass. ), described as a progressive icon and one of the president’s fiercest critics in the Senate, gave the president a standing ovation for the call to pass the bill and has long backed similar legislation. Warren was also seen standing after a separate line in the speech about preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

For much of the address, many Democrats were said to be sitting in distress and rarely clapping. Several members interrupted the speech: Reps. Al Green, Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib were identified as having interrupted; Green was ejected from the chamber after waving a sign that read "Black People Aren't Apes!" in what was described as a jab at the president's recent social-posting debacle, while Omar and Tlaib left early after repeated heckling.

Public reaction and parallel agenda items

The moment drew attention on social media, with commenters such as Guy Benson, Josh Hammer and Curtis Houck posting sharp reactions. The president also used the address to roll out a retirement savings proposal aimed at workers without access to employer matching, saying the federal government would match contributions up to $1, 000 a year so more Americans could benefit from market gains.

The exchange over congressional stock trading, the Stop Insider Trading Act’s next steps and the broader debate about ethics and disclosure in Washington are likely to remain active as the bill moves toward a full vote. Morgan Phillips contributed to coverage of the address, and Andrew Mark Miller is listed as a reporter connected to the material in the public record.