Portrait of a Speaker: Nancy Pelosi’s Most Enduring Moments

In her 20 years main Home Democrats, Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California has been probably the most highly effective and iconic ladies in Washington. When she was sworn in as speaker in 2007, surrounded by the youngsters of members of Congress, she turned the primary girl to serve in that submit. And through the years, Ms. Pelosi was usually photographed because the lone girl in rooms filled with males, even after the ranks of Congress turned extra numerous.

All through her profession, Republicans have vilified her; she is now probably the most threatened members of Congress. She had a very poisonous relationship with former President Donald J. Trump, and their hostile interactions usually drew consideration, together with when Ms. Pelosi aimed what seemed to be sarcastic applause at him at one in all his State of the Union addresses and when she ripped up a duplicate of his remarks at one other.

Listed here are essentially the most enduring photos of Ms. Pelosi throughout her speakership and what they imply.

Feb. 5, 2019

The Clap

On the first State of the Union deal with that President Trump delivered to a Democratic-controlled Home, Ms. Pelosi pointedly applauded as Mr. Trump referred to as to finish the “politics of revenge.” She later mentioned that she had not supposed the gesture to be “sarcastic” and actually welcomed his message. However the second, which went viral, concisely captured the dynamic of their relationship for the subsequent two years.

Ms. Pelosi intently oversaw the impeachment proceedings in opposition to Mr. Trump, directing Democrats to maneuver ahead with an official inquiry and personally overseeing the vote that sealed him as solely the third American president to be impeached.

“The president leaves us no selection however to behave as a result of he’s making an attempt to deprave, as soon as once more, the election for his personal profit,” she mentioned.

As Mr. Trump completed his State of the Union deal with in 2020, Ms. Pelosi, clad in a white pantsuit that evoked the ladies’s suffrage motion, stood stone-faced, and ripped her copy of his speech in half, tossing the remnants on the podium.

The transfer apparently outraged Mr. Trump, however she later informed Democratic lawmakers in a closed-door assembly that she felt “very liberated” by the act. If anybody had carried out any shredding, she informed them, it was Mr. Trump, who “shred the reality proper in entrance of us.”

Ms. Pelosi later mentioned she stored the shreds of the speech.

Dec. 11, 2018

Oval Workplace Showdown

Weeks after Democrats received management of the Home within the 2018 midterms, Ms. Pelosi and Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, then the minority chief, sat down with Mr. Trump on the White Home, in a gathering that rapidly was a televised contest of wills.

“Mr. President,” she mentioned at one level as Mr. Trump tried to undercut her, “please don’t characterize the power that I carry.”

In the long run, Ms. Pelosi emerged triumphant, sliding on sun shades as she strode out of the White Home in a rust-colored coat. The image was shared so extensively on-line that the maker of her outerwear reissued it.

Clashes between Ms. Pelosi and Mr. Trump on the White Home turned one thing of a routine through the two years during which she served as speaker, and he as president. Almost a 12 months later, Mr. Trump tweeted {a photograph} displaying Ms. Pelosi, at a protracted convention desk crammed virtually fully with males, standing and wagging her finger at him.

Jan. 4, 2007

First Girl Speaker

Ms. Pelosi has repeatedly mentioned that no problem drives her as singularly as securing the well-being of the nation’s youngsters — a lot in order that her rallying cry turned “For the youngsters.” When she was first elected, Ms. Pelosi invited the youngsters and grandchildren of lawmakers to hitch her on the rostrum to underscore the purpose. She repeated the transfer once more in 2019 when she received the speaker’s gavel a second time.

Ms. Pelosi herself raised 5 youngsters earlier than getting into politics, a chapter she credit with instructing her the whole lot she wanted to find out about how one can herd and hound politicians. She alluded to that historical past on Thursday as she introduced that she would step down from management.

When she first visited the Home ground on the age of 6, she mentioned, “by no means would I’ve thought that sometime I might go from homemaker to Home speaker.”

March 22 and 23, 2010

Passing the Inexpensive Care Act

With out Ms. Pelosi, one in all former President Barack Obama’s defining achievements, the passage of the Inexpensive Care Act, might need by no means turn out to be legislation.

With arm-twisting and tactical savvy, Ms. Pelosi was in a position to muster sufficient assist in her divided caucus to cross the laws, a feat that caused a historic drop within the variety of People with out medical insurance. About 35 million folks have gained protection below the Inexpensive Care Act and the enlargement of Medicaid.

Ms. Pelosi just lately referred to as passage of the legislation her “main accomplishment.”

January 2021

Assault on the Capitol and Trump’s Second Impeachment

After pro-Trump rioters stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, Ms. Pelosi rapidly labored with congressional leaders to safe the constructing so lawmakers might return and affirm President Biden’s victory — after which she moved to question Mr. Trump.

In a later interview, Ms. Pelosi joked that she would have fended off the rioters along with her trademark 4-inch stiletto heels, a mainstay of her wardrobe.

“Nicely, I’m fairly robust,” she informed USA As we speak. “I’m a avenue fighter. They’d have had a battle on their fingers.”

Annie Karni contributed reporting.