Copyright Newsweek
Representative Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic former House Speaker, announced her retirement on Thursday. Pelosi, the only woman to ever hold the office of House Speaker, said she would not seek re-election in 2026. During her time in Congress, her net worth has changed substantially, causing some to question how closely tied Congress members and their wealth are when making decisions in office. Why It Matters Pelosi first entered Congress in 1986 and rose through the Democratic Party’s ranks before serving ultimately as Speaker of the House. While she’s pushed forward many policies on women’s rights, health care and civil rights, her and her family’s net worth have also risen significantly during this time. What To Know According to Quiver Quantitative, Pelosi and her husband, Paul Pelosi, a venture capitalist, have an estimated net worth of more than $230 million as of 2024 numbers. As Speaker of the House, Pelosi earned $223,500 yearly and also brings in $174,000 annually as a member of Congress. Some of the Pelosi family’s top stocks in their portfolio have been Apple, Microsoft, Salesforce, Google and Amazon, all bringing between $5 million and $25 million in value in recent years. Earlier this year, a stock owned by former Pelosi’s husband, Tempus AI Class A stock, surged in value by more than double in just one month. "Their 2024 portfolio returned 54%. More than double the market's 25% and crushing every major hedge fund. Paul exercised Nvidia call options at $12 per share when the market price was 10 times higher, netting nearly $5 million. They sold Microsoft before an FTC antitrust probe. They dumped Visa before a DOJ monopoly lawsuit," Michael Ryan, a finance expert and the founder of MichaelRyanMoney.com, told Newsweek. "This is the John Kerry ketchup fortune scenario, except Pelosi sits on committees that regulate the exact companies her husband trades. When you have access to classified briefings and regulatory power, buying Tesla before Biden announces EV mandates raises questions." In 2008, Pelosi’s net worth was estimated at just $31 million; however, it has now skyrocketed to $114 million, according to a different estimate from OpenSecrets. President Donald Trump celebrated Pelosi’s retirement, calling the career politician who led his two impeachments “evil” and “overrated.” "The retirement of Nancy Pelosi is a great thing for America," Trump said in a text message to Fox News journalist Peter Doocy. "She was evil, corrupt, and only focused on bad things for our country. She was rapidly losing control of her party, and it was never coming back. I'm very honored that she impeached me twice and failed miserably twice.” "Nancy Pelosi is a highly overrated politician." What People Are Saying Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez previously said in a statement: "Members of Congress should not be allowed to buy and sell individual stock. We are here to serve the public, not to profiteer." Ryan told Newsweek: "Retail investors literally follow 'PelosiTracker' apps to mirror their trades. Joe Rogan said it plainly: "It only happens through corruption... transparent, legal corruption... Is she the only one? What about the Trump's having access to the most timely information? It's not just Pelosi, but she became the meme." Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek: "Nancy Pelosi's financial holdings have faced increased scrutiny by voters on both sides of the political aisle in recent years. Her stock portfolio has produced incredible returns over the last two decades, leading to accusations by some that the knowledge she has obtained in her Congressional role has given her an unfair advantage in understanding which companies to invest in for future growth." What Happens Next While Pelosi's net worth surge is tied to boosts in stock and real estate, it also reflects her positioning as a community member in California, Beene said. "When discussing this, it's important to note most of her holdings in stocks and real estate reflect the area of California she represents, which has seen astronomical growth in recent decades thanks to technology companies flocking there, which has lead to a substantial uptick in the area's real estate, and, of course, these companies stock prices," Beene said. "While it's always fair to question the financial situation of elected representatives, it's also fair to say she, like many in her location, have benefited from the influx and performance of the industries there without having to have insider knowledge of them."
