Rep. Nancy Pelosi offered a harsh critique of President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address on Tuesday night, Feb. 24, 2026, brushing it off with a single word: “lazy.”
The 85-year-old former House Speaker, who famously ripped up Trump’s 2020 address while standing behind him, delivered her criticism during CNN’s post-speech coverage. Her blunt assessment followed Trump’s marathon address—the longest State of the Union on record at one hour and 48 minutes, eclipsing Bill Clinton’s 2000 speech by 20 minutes.
“I thought the speech was lazy,” Pelosi said. “It’s one thing to praise patriotism and people recovering and all that when you played no role in their bravery, but to go on for an hour and a half doing it? What is the actual state of the country?”
Pelosi, who revealed in November 2025 that she would not run for reelection, was especially critical of Trump’s sparse comments about Ukraine. The speech coincided with the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion—a detail Pelosi said made the omission unacceptable. The California lawmaker questioned whether Trump even spent “a sentence and a half” discussing the war where “democracy is at risk.”
The address turned combative when Trump criticized congressional stock trading and singled out Pelosi by name. He urged Congress to approve the Stop Insider Trading Act, introduced by Rep. Bryan Steil (R-Wis.), which would prohibit lawmakers, their spouses, and dependent children from buying publicly traded stocks and would require seven days’ public notice before sales.
After noting bipartisan applause for the proposal, Trump joked, “Did Nancy Pelosi stand up—if she’s here? Doubt it.” The jab referenced long-standing scrutiny of Pelosi and her husband Paul, a venture capitalist, regarding profitable trades during her tenure. The couple accumulated substantial wealth over her decades in office.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) rose to applaud when Trump mentioned the issue. CNN host Kasie Hunt questioned Pelosi about the president’s remark, asking how she would respond.
Pelosi countered that she did stand during Trump’s comments, along with many Democrats. She insisted her family’s trading practices were aboveboard and argued that if they weren’t, legal action would have followed.
The Stop Insider Trading Act has gained more than 90 House cosponsors and advanced out of committee on a 7–4 party-line vote. The bill would expand upon the 2012 STOCK Act’s disclosure requirements, though some Democrats argued it falls short because lawmakers would still be allowed to keep current stock holdings.
The president devoted about six minutes to praising the U.S. Olympic men’s hockey team, which secured gold at the Milan Cortina Winter Games just two days earlier with a 2–1 overtime win against Canada—the first U.S. men’s hockey gold since 1980. Trump presented goalie Connor Hellebuyck with the Presidential Medal of Freedom during the speech.
Trump also honored Coast Guard rescue swimmer Scott Ruskan, giving him the Legion of Merit for remarkable heroism. During disastrous Fourth of July flooding in Central Texas in 2025, Ruskan saved 165 people at Camp Mystic during his first-ever rescue operation. The floods claimed nearly 140 lives, including 27 campers and counselors at the Christian camp along the Guadalupe River.
Trump celebrated the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the sweeping tax and budget package he signed into law on July 4, 2025. Pelosi criticized the law for slashing Medicaid and social programs to fund tax cuts for wealthy Americans. She accused Trump of removing half a trillion dollars from Medicare and a trillion from Medicaid through his policies.
Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger delivered the Democratic rebuttal from Colonial Williamsburg. The first woman to lead Virginia, Spanberger emphasized affordability—a central message Democrats plan to champion ahead of the midterm elections. She argued that Trump’s tariffs amount to another major tax increase on American households.
The address occurred just four days after the Supreme Court struck down Trump’s broad tariffs in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump, ruling 6–3 that he overstepped his authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Trump responded by imposing 15% worldwide tariffs under a different law, creating new legal uncertainty.
Trump urged Congress to enshrine his executive actions aimed at reducing prescription drug prices and limiting investment firms from purchasing single-family homes. He placed blame on former President Joe Biden and Democratic lawmakers for rising prices and increased health care costs.
Trump’s speech came as polls show affordability remains a top concern for Americans. A CNN poll reported that only 38 percent of viewers reacted favorably—the lowest rating for any Trump address—compared to 57 percent for his first address in 2017.
