On June 6 local time, former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and current Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi announced that she will not seek re-election in the 2026 midterm elections and will "retire" after her current term ends in January 2027.
According to China News Service, Pelosi released a nearly six-minute video on social media that day to announce her "retirement." In the video, Pelosi reflected on her career and expressed her love for the people of San Francisco, California, whom she represents. Pelosi stated that she would no longer seek re-election to Congress and looks forward to continuing to "serve" the people of San Francisco in her final year of her current term.
The 85-year-old Pelosi has served as the federal representative from California since 1987 and has been the Democratic leader in the House of Representatives since 2003. She held the position of Speaker of the House from 2007 to 2011 and again from 2019 to 2023. Pelosi is the first and only female Speaker of the House in U.S. history.
U.S. media believe that although Pelosi stepped down as Democratic leader in the House two years ago, she still holds significant influence within the Democratic Party. Two days ago, California voters passed a bill to redraw congressional districts, which is seen as a "victory" for the Democratic Party, and Pelosi played a significant role in that.
Regarding Pelosi's announcement of 'retirement,' former President Biden wrote that during his presidency, he worked with Pelosi to grow the economy and create millions of jobs, and that Pelosi is "the greatest Speaker of the House in American history."
President Trump stated at the White House that he was "happy" about Pelosi's retirement. "Pelosi did not do well; she brought great loss to our country," he said, adding that her retirement is a "good thing" for the country.
During Pelosi's tenure as Speaker, the House of Representatives impeached then-President Trump twice, once in 2019 and again in 2021.