Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) will not attend President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, a spokeswoman confirmed Thursday.
The spokesperson did not say why Pelosi decided to skip the ceremony scheduled for Monday at the U.S. Capitol. This decision was previously reported ABC News.
Pelosi, 84, has maintained her political prominence and influence in the Democratic Party and the House seat, despite relinquishing her longtime leadership role after Republicans won the House majority in 2022. has had a long and controversial relationship with Trump.
She was hospitalized last month after breaking her hip while visiting Luxembourg with a bipartisan parliamentary delegation, but has since returned to Congress to help confirm Trump’s election victory on January 6.
Trump did not attend President Biden’s inauguration because he lost to Biden in the 2020 election. He also denied losing despite all evidence to the contrary and continues to live up to that lie to this day. He became the first president to skip an inauguration ceremony for his successor. Andrew Johnson did so in 1869.
Pelosi criticized President Trump, calling him “crazy and unfit to be president.” President Trump called Pelosi an “evil person” and an “enemy” of the country. The two have been sparring for years. Pelosi raised eyebrows in 2020 when she tore up a copy of Trump’s State of the Union speech behind his back. Trump mocked the violent act against her husband at the couple’s San Francisco home, infuriating the former speaker.
Former First Lady Michelle Obama also made this announcement. she won’t attend the inaugurationHowever, former President Obama will do so, according to the Associated Press. The former first lady has been an outspoken critic of President Trump.