Nancy Pelosi targeted as nancy pelosi faces stock-trading jab from Trump
President Donald Trump used his State of the Union address to press Congress to "pass the Stop Insider Trading Act without delay" and took a pointed shot at nancy pelosi, quipping that he doubted she stood to applaud. The remarks touched off applause, social-media reaction and a visible glare from the former House speaker.
Trump’s Stop Insider Trading Act
During the record-breaking State of the Union address on Tuesday night, Trump called out insider trading on Capitol Hill and urged lawmakers to "pass the Stop Insider Trading Act without delay. " He said, "Let’s also ensure that members of Congress cannot corruptly profit from using insider information, " prompting members of both parties to stand. Trump then added, "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. "
Bill provisions and history
The Stop Insider Trading Act, introduced by Rep. Bryan Steil, would ban members of Congress, their spouses and dependent children from purchasing publicly traded stocks and would require advance public notice before any sale, aiming to go beyond the 2012 STOCK Act’s reporting requirements. Separate descriptions of the proposal say it would also mandate that lawmakers, their spouses and dependent children give a seven-day public notice before selling off a stock. The bill has cleared a House committee but is awaiting a full vote in the lower chamber.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren stands up
One of the most unusual sights during the address was Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass. ) giving Trump a standing ovation. Warren, described in the chamber as a progressive icon and one of Trump’s fiercest critics in the Senate, rose after the president asked Congress to pass the Stop Insider Trading Act; Warren has long backed similar legislation. Other Democrats likewise stood and drew notice from the president, who said he could not believe members had risen.
Nancy Pelosi reaction in chamber
The former House speaker glared at Trump after the broadside. She sat next to Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif. ) and was seen taking notes during the speech. Republicans have long needled Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif. ) over well-timed trades her husband has made over the years; Pelosi has a net worth of more than $269 million, Quiver Quantitative lists, making the retiring representative one of the wealthiest lawmakers in Congress. Trump’s dig was framed in the context of their longstanding feud; during the 2020 State of the Union, then-Speaker Pelosi infamously tore up Trump’s speech in full view of the cameras within the House chamber.
Social reaction and chamber disruptions
The moment drew attention on social media. contributor Guy Benson posted, "lol the Pelosi ad lib. " Columnist Josh Hammer posted, "LMAO at Trump’s callout of Pelosi on insider trading, " and Newsbusters managing editor Curtis Houck posted, "LOL Trump is the funniest President of all time, zero debate. " A Democratic representative identified himself as one of this year's State of the Union designated survivors.
Other House moments and proposals
For the most part, Democrats sat through the address in distress and rarely clapped; several Democrats, including Reps. Al Green (D-Texas), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn. ) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich. ), interrupted the speech. For the second year in a row, Green was ejected from the House chamber during the speech after waving a sign that read, "Black People Aren’t Apes!" — an action described as a jab at the president’s Truth Social posting debacle earlier this month. Omar and Tlaib left early after repeatedly heckling the president throughout the speech.
Other policy announcements and reporting
Trump also announced a new retirement savings proposal for workers without access to employer matching, promising the federal government would match contributions up to $1, 000 a year so more Americans can benefit from market gains. Digital reached out to Pelosi's office for comment. U. S. House Speaker Emerita Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) spoke during a news conference in response to the sentencing ruling in the Hong Kong 47 case on Nov. 19, 2024, in front of the U. S. Capitol in Washington, D. C., a photo credit noted in chamber coverage.
Andrew Mark Miller is named in chamber coverage as a reporter at, and Digital's Morgan Phillips is listed as a contributor to the report.
Closing the night, the Stop Insider Trading Act debate — its reported provisions, the chamber reactions and the political back-and-forth over disclosures and wealth — remained central to the fallout from the State of the Union address.
