Nancy Pelosi singled out by Trump in State of the Union over stock trading

President Trump used his State of the Union address to press Congress to pass the Stop Insider Trading Act and to single out nancy pelosi by name over controversial stock trading. The exchange drew a standing ovation from some Democrats, visible reactions from the former House speaker, and a burst of commentary online.

Trump’s SOTU plea: pass the Stop Insider Trading Act without delay

On the House floor, Trump urged lawmakers to "pass the Stop Insider Trading Act without delay, " saying, "Let’s also ensure that members of Congress cannot corruptly profit from using insider information. " Those remarks prompted members of both parties to stand. Trump then asked, "They stood up for that. I can’t believe it. I can’t believe it. Did Nancy Pelosi stand up — if she’s here? Doubt it. " The remarks were delivered as part of his State of the Union address.

What the Stop Insider Trading Act would do and its current status

Rep. Bryan Steil introduced the Stop Insider Trading Act, which would ban members of Congress, their spouses and dependent children from purchasing publicly traded stocks. The measure would also require advance public notice before any sale — described in one account as a seven-day public notice before selling — and is intended to go 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.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren and other Democrats stand and react

One of the most striking moments of the speech was Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass. ) rising to give a standing ovation after Trump raised the stock-trading proposal; Warren has long backed similar legislation. Other Democrats likewise stood in applause, drawing notice from the president. Warren was also seen standing after Trump said that Iran cannot be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon.

Nancy Pelosi’s presence, exchanges and background

Nancy Pelosi, the former House speaker and a California Democrat, sat near the House dais and glared at Trump after he directed the broadside at her. She sat next to Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif. ) and took some notes during the speech. Republicans have repeatedly needled Rep. Nancy Pelosi over well-timed trades her husband has made over the years, and Pelosi has a net worth of more than $269 million, making the retiring representative one of the wealthiest lawmakers in Congress. The president’s remark was cast in the context of a longstanding feud that dates back to the 2020 State of the Union, when then-Speaker Pelosi tore up the speech in full view of the cameras in the House chamber.

Breaks in decorum and interruptions during the address

For much of the address Democrats remained mostly silent, but several members interrupted. Reps. Al Green (D-Texas), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn. ) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich. ) repeatedly interrupted the president; for the second year in a row, Green was ejected from the House chamber during the speech, this time for waving a sign that read, "Black People Aren’t Apes!" — a rebuke tied to a separate controversy over the president’s social-media posting earlier this month. Omar and Tlaib left the chamber early after continued heckling.

Social-media reaction and commentary after the jab at Pelosi

The moment drew attention online, with commentators weighing in. Commentator Guy Benson posted, "lol the Pelosi ad lib. " Columnist Josh Hammer wrote, "LMAO at Trump’s callout of Pelosi on insider trading. " Managing Editor Curtis Houck posted, "LOL Trump is the funniest President of all time, zero debate. " A news outlet reached out to Pelosi’s office for comment after the exchange.

Additional policy pitch from the president during the speech

Alongside the trading proposal, Trump announced a retirement savings plan aimed at workers without employer matching: he said the federal government would match contributions up to $1, 000 a year so more Americans can benefit from market gains.