Nancy Pelosi Targeted as Trump Presses Congress to Pass Stop Insider Trading Act
President Donald Trump used his State of the Union address to press Congress to "pass the Stop Insider Trading Act without delay, " and in the process singled out nancy pelosi by name. The exchange matters because the proposal and the spotlight on congressional trading have pushed a long-standing ethics fight back into the center of Washington debate.
Stop Insider Trading Act and its provisions
Trump urged lawmakers to "ensure that members of Congress cannot corruptly profit from using insider information, " a call that accompanied a pitch for the Stop Insider Trading Act. Representative Bryan Steil introduced the measure; its text would bar members of Congress, their spouses and dependent children from purchasing publicly traded stocks and would require advance public notice before any sale. The New York Post coverage adds the legislation would mandate a seven-day public notice before selling a stock. Sponsors frame the bill as going beyond the 2012 STOCK Act’s reporting requirements. The proposal has already cleared a House committee and is awaiting a full vote in the lower chamber.
Nancy Pelosi Reaction in Chamber
Trump punctuated his plea with an on-camera jab: "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. " Members of both parties rose in response to his call for the ban, and the former House speaker visibly glared after the broadside. She sat beside Representative Ro Khanna and was seen taking notes during the address. Critics have cited the Pelosi family's financial disclosures when calling for stricter limits, and Republicans have long needled Representative Nancy Pelosi over well-timed stock trades made by her husband.
Elizabeth Warren’s standing ovation and partisan reactions
One notable moment came when Senator Elizabeth Warren, identified as a Massachusetts Democrat and progressive icon, rose to give a standing ovation after Trump named the Stop Insider Trading Act — a measure she has long backed. Other Democrats also stood, drawing notice from the president. The president’s effort to frame the bill as broadly pro-market — saying Americans should be able to profit from a rising stock market while lawmakers cannot exploit inside information — produced applause from unexpected quarters during what the New York Post called a record-breaking State of the Union address on Tuesday night.
Context, past confrontations and wider chamber disturbances
Trump’s dig was framed by a long-running feud: his 2020 State of the Union was famously ripped up by then-Speaker Pelosi on camera. The address also saw multiple interruptions. For the second year running, Representative Al Green was ejected from the chamber, this time after waving a sign that read, "Black People Aren’t Apes!" — a reference the coverage tied to a recent Truth Social post. Representatives Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib repeatedly heckled the president and left the chamber early. Senator Warren was also seen standing after Trump warned that Iran must not obtain a nuclear weapon.
Retirement proposal and other details that accompanied the speech
Alongside the anti-insider trading pitch, Trump outlined a retirement savings proposal aimed at workers without access to employer matching—promising federal matching of contributions up to $1, 000 a year. Observers noted both the ethics push and the savings measure as central planks of the address.
Social media reaction, reporting follow-ups and public records
The moment drew rapid attention online. Guy Benson posted, "lol the Pelosi ad lib, " while columnist Josh Hammer wrote, "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, " all messages shared on X. The Pelosi family’s disclosures and past trades have been a frequent focus in commentary; Quiver Quantitative’s public estimate places Pelosi’s net worth at more than $269 million, making the retiring representative one of the wealthiest lawmakers in Congress. A separate note in the coverage states that a Democratic representative identified himself as one of this year’s State of the Union designated survivors.
Pelosi has recently appeared at other public events: she spoke at a news conference in front of the U. S. Capitol in response to the sentencing ruling in the Hong Kong 47 case on November 19, 2024. Media organizations sought comment on the chamber exchange; Pelosi’s office was contacted for comment. Journalists on the record in the immediate coverage include Andrew Mark Miller, and Morgan Phillips is listed as a contributor to reporting tied to the speech.
What makes this notable is that the ethics measure, the public spectacle of the rebuke, and the visible bipartisan reactions together elevate a procedural House bill into a political flashpoint — increasing pressure on lawmakers who will soon decide whether the Stop Insider Trading Act moves beyond committee and to a full House vote.
