Nancy Pelosi’s Team Provides Update After She Falls In Europe
Rep. Nancy Pelosi underwent a “successful” hip replacement surgery at a U.S. military hospital in Germany on Saturday morning and is now recovering, according to her spokesperson, Ian Krager.
The former Speaker of the House reportedly sustained injuries after falling on a staircase during a visit to Luxembourg, as reported by multiple media outlets.
While Pelosi’s office has not elaborated on the incident, a brief statement noted that she “sustained an injury during an official engagement.”
Pelosi was in Luxembourg as part of a U.S. congressional delegation marking the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge, a pivotal World War II campaign. She had been scheduled to participate in a ceremony in Bastogne, Belgium, a critical site of the battle’s heavy fighting.
Krager issued a statement expressing gratitude: “Speaker Pelosi is grateful to U.S. military staff at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center at Landstuhl Army Base and medical staff at Hospital Kirchberg in Luxembourg for their excellent care and kindness.”
Landstuhl Army Base, located roughly 120 kilometers east of Luxembourg, is known for providing top-tier care to U.S. military personnel and officials.
Pelosi, who continues to represent San Francisco in Congress, remains a prominent figure in the Democratic Party despite stepping down from leadership in 2023. It is unclear when she will be cleared to return to the U.S.
This incident comes at a tumultuous time for Pelosi and her party. The overwhelming victory of President-elect Donald Trump over Vice President Kamala Harris signals what many analysts believe to be the diminishing influence of senior Democratic leaders like Pelosi.
The Daily Mail described Pelosi as the woman “who for decades reigned as kingmaker in her party,” now potentially facing “the prospect of having her status as a power player in the party unceremoniously stripped away on the back of” Harris’ crushing defeat.
Pelosi has been a central figure in recent Democratic tensions, including President Joe Biden’s shocking decision to drop out of the race earlier this year.
Reports surfaced that Pelosi had a heated exchange with Democratic strategist and former DNC chair Donna Brazile during Harris’ concession speech at Howard University in November. Blame for the vice president’s significant loss has intensified within the party, with Pelosi increasingly at the forefront of the debate.
Investor and Shark Tank star Kevin O’Leary remarked last week, “The influences of a [Senate Majority Leader Chuck] Schumer or a Pelosi or a movie star or an Obama deciding to anoint somebody – those guys are gone.” He added, “In four years, they won’t have that kind of influence.” O’Leary’s statement also referenced actor George Clooney, who publicly urged Biden to step down after his disastrous debate performance against Trump.
Some Republicans are directly pinning blame for the Democrats’ historic losses—including Trump’s resounding victory, the Senate flipping red, and the House remaining undecided—on Pelosi.
“You’ve got to blame Nancy Pelosi,” former GOP House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said during a Fox News interview.
McCarthy criticized the role Pelosi played in Biden’s withdrawal, calling it “an attack on the democratic process” since Biden had already secured the nomination through primaries.
“Joe Biden never should have run for office. I knew it when I sat with him. There was something wrong with him,” McCarthy added, reiterating his long-standing concerns about Biden’s candidacy.
Pelosi’s role in these events—combined with her recent health setback—marks a challenging chapter in her long political career.