Nancy Pelosi Reflects on Her Relationship with Trump

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi shared her thoughts on her contentious relationship with President Donald Trump during an interview with ABC’s Jonathan Karl. She noted that her now-iconic moment of tearing up Trump’s 2020 State of the Union address was spontaneous, not premeditated.

“People often tear up speeches,” she explained, “but I didn’t go to every speech with the intention to rip them apart. I just felt compelled to rip one page because he was lying on the first part, and it just kept going. It felt like a manifesto of lies. I thought about tearing up the whole thing, but, you know, it was tough paper. It took me a few tries. My staff was probably thinking, ‘She’s going to get in trouble for this.’

She also reminisced about a photograph of her pointing at Trump during a 2019 meeting. In an interesting twist, she claimed that the White House had released that image and even referred to her as “crazy.” “They did me a favor,” she added with a hint of irony.

Pelosi announced in November that she wouldn’t seek re-election after her current term ends. In terms of her legacy, she expressed pride in the Affordable Care Act, stating it significantly impacted working families. “It was about meeting health needs while addressing families’ national needs,” she said. “I think that’s the biggest takeaway for me.” I guess it’s a bit surprising that not everyone in her party shares those views.

In the conversation, Pelosi was asked about what she hopes people will remember about her. It seemed like a reflective moment for her, where she ultimately pointed back to her work on healthcare.