Nancy Pelosi announced her retirement from Congress on Thursday, putting an end date on a career of firsts for the San Francisco Democrat.
The first woman to be Speaker of the House of Representatives will not seek another term. Here’s a look back at her decade-spanning career in Congress.
Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, D- California, holds a watch on June 4, 1991, that was reportedly smuggled out of China. Pelosi said the watches were given to soldiers who helped crush the Tiananmen Square protesters two years ago. Pelosi spoke at a rally on the west lawn of the U.S. Capitol to commemorate the massacre. CHRIS ASSAF AFP via Getty Images
Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif, describes, during a May 8, 1996, Capitol Hill press conference in Washington, sections of her bill sanctioning China for violating US copyrights. Pelosi is urging President Bill Clinton to pressure China to live up to its agreement to protect U.S. software. DAVID AKE AFP via Getty Images
Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., the newly elected Democratic Minority Leader, raises her hand with outgoing leader Dick Gephardt of Missouri on Nov. 14, 2002, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Pelosi's election marks the first time in the history of the Congress that a woman will lead her party. MIKE THEILER AFP via Getty Images
New House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., hugs her granddaughter during her swearing in ceremony Jan. 7, 2003, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. This is the first day of the 108th Congress and members of the House of Representatives will be sworn in and leadership elections will be held. MARK WILSON Getty Images
House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi shakes hands with a supporter following her introduction to delegates at the California Democratic Party state convention in Sacramento during a welcome reception March 14, 2003. In the background is California Democratic Party Chair Art Torres. DICK SCHMIDT Sacramento Bee file
California Gov. Gray Davis points out a person in the crowd to U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., during a rally against his recall on July 19, 2003 in San Francisco. JUSTIN SULLIVAN Getty Images
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and California Treasurer Phil Angelides, who is running for governor, call supporters at a phone bank at the Sacramento City Teachers Association on Oct. 18, 2006. BRIAN BAER Sacramento Bee file
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi greets supporters at a phone bank at the Sacramento City Teachers Association on Oct. 18, 2006. BRIAN BAER Sacramento Bee file
Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., waves to colleagues before becoming the first female Speaker of the House during a swearing in ceremony for the 110th Congress in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 4, 2007, in Washington, D.C. Chip Somodevilla Getty Images
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif., holds up the Speaker's gavel after becoming the first female Speaker during a swearing in ceremony for the 110th Congress in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 4, 2007 in Washington, D.C. Chip Somodevilla Getty Images
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., takes the gavel from House Minority Leader Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) after becoming the first woman Speaker at a swearing in ceremony for the 110th Congress in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 4, 2007, in Washington, D.C. Chip Somodevilla Getty Images
U.S. President George W. Bush shakes hands with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., as Vice President Dick Cheney looks on after Bush delivered his State of the Union address at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 23, 2007. ALEX WONG Getty Images
WASHINGTON - JANUARY 5: (AFP OUT) U.S. President-elect Barack Obama meets Speaker of the House Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., in her office at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 5, 2009, in Washington, DC. Obama met with Pelosi and will meet with his top economic advisors to begin work on a stimulus package that they hope will include hundreds of billions of dollars worth of tax breaks for individuals and businesses. Chip Somodevilla Getty Images
Vice President Joe Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California applaud as President Barack Obama addresses a joint session of Congress in the House Chamber of the Capitol in Washington on Feb. 24, 2009. Pablo Martinez Monsivais AFP via Getty Images
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., speaks at a news conference on health care reform with House Democrats and patients affected by a lack of health care on July 22, 2009, in Washington, DC. Speaker Pelosi is pushing for the House to pass the Affordable Care Act before August. Brendan Hoffman Getty Images
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom looks on as U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi speaks during a news conference following a American Recovery Act anniversary roundtable on Feb. 17, 2010, in San Francisco. Justin Sullivan Getty Images
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and her husband Paul, joined by San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, attend Game 1 of the National League Division Series between the Giants and the Atlanta Braves at AT&T Park on Oct. 7, 2010. PAUL KITAGAKI JR. Sacramento Bee file
Incoming Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, wipes his tears as he is introduced by outgoing Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., during the opening session of the 112th Congress on Jan. 5, 2011 on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. TIM SLOAN AFP via Getty Images
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., speaks as Democratic women members of the House of Representatives wave to the crowd on the second day of the Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center, July 26, 2016 in Philadelphia. The party hopes to elect Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton as the nation’s first female president. Alex Wong Getty Images
Presumptive Speaker House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and President Donald Trump argue while making statements to the press before a meeting at the White House on Dec. 11, 2018 in Washington, D.C. BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI AFP via Getty Images
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi talks to former governors Arnold Schwarzenegger and Gray Davis during the inauguration of Gavin Newsom at the California Capitol on Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. PAUL KITAGAKI JR. Sacramento Bee file
Eleni Kounalakis, right, jokes with Gov. Gavin Newsom, left, as U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, center, cheers them after Kounalakis was sworn in as lieutenant governor at the Tsakopoulos Library Galleria in Sacramento on Jan. 7, 2019. RENÉE C. BYER Sacramento Bee file
Vice President Mike Pence and Speaker Nancy Pelosi greet President Donald Trump just ahead of the State of the Union address in the chamber of the U.S. House of Representatives at the U.S. Capitol Building on Feb. 5, 2019 in Washington, D.C. President Trump's second State of the Union address was postponed one week due to a partial government shutdown. Chip Somodevilla Getty Images
The vote count is projected on the walls of the House of Representatives as Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., presides over voting on the impeachment of President Donald Trump at the U.S. Capitol on Dec. 18, 2019 in Washington, D.C. The House passed two articles of impeachment on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. Chip Somodevilla Getty Images
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., signs articles of impeachment of President Donald Trump during an engrossment ceremony on Capitol Hill on Jan. 15, 2020, in Washington, D.C. The House voted to transmit articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump to the Senate, opening the way for the historic trial of the 45th president for abuse of power. BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI AFP via Getty Images
Vice President Mike Pence claps as Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi rips up a copy of President Donald Trump speech after he delivers the State of the Union address on Feb. 4, 2020. MANDEL NGAN AFP via Getty Images
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi sanitizes the gavel after Vice President Mike Pence walked off the dais during a joint session of Congress to certify the 2020 Electoral College results on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington, D.C. A group of Republican senators said they would reject the Electoral College votes of several states unless Congress appointed a commission to audit the election results. Erin Schaff Getty Images
Richard Barnett, a supporter of President Donald Trump, sits inside the office of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi as he protests inside the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021. Demonstrators breeched security and entered the Capitol as Congress debated the a 2020 presidential electoral vote certification. SAUL LOEB AFP via Getty Images
Speaker of the House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., talks with Vice President Mike Pence after the conclusion of the count of electoral votes during a reconvening of a joint session of Congress on Jan. 7, 2021 in Washington, D.C. Members of Congress returned to the House Chamber after being evacuated when protesters stormed the Capitol and disrupted a joint session to ratify President-elect Joe Biden's 306-232 Electoral College win over President Donald Trump. Win McNamee Getty Images
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif., displays a signed an article of impeachment against President Donald Trump at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 13, 2021. The House of Representatives voted to impeach Trump for incitement of insurrection. Stefani Reynolds Getty Images
Speaker Nancy Pelosi speaks during a ceremony for late Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick as he lies in honor during a ceremony as people pay their respects in the Rotunda of the Capitol building on Feb. 3, 2021, in Washington, D.C. The police officer, who died after being injured in the Jan. 6 attack by pro-Trump rioters, will lie in honor at the building's rotunda, a mark of respect rarely bestowed. CARLOS BARRIA POOL/AFP via Getty Images
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi participate in a prayer vigil at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2022 in Washington, D.C., one year after supporters of President Donald Trump attacked the U.S. Capitol Building in an attempt to disrupt the confirmation of the electoral college win for Joe Biden. Drew Angerer Getty Images
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is applauded on Nov. 17, 2022, after announcing she will not seek a leadership role in the upcoming Congress. Anna Moneymaker Getty Images
Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadive takes a selfie with Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, Anjali Ranadive after Game 4 of the first-round NBA playoff series at Chase Center in San Francisco on April 23, 2023. PAUL KITAGAKI JR. Sacramento Bee file
U.S. House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi leaves the Assembly floor with Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas on June 30, 2023, after his swearing in ceremony at the state Capitol in Sacramento. HECTOR AMEZCUA Sacramento Bee file
U. S. House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi remembers her friend Sen. Dianne Feinstein during a memorial service at San Francisco City Hall on Oct. 5, 2023. PAUL KITAGAKI JR. Sacramento Bee file
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., holds hands with Rep. Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif., as the House of Representatives holds a second round of voting for a new Speaker on Oct. 18, 2023. The House has been without an elected leader since Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., was ousted from the speakership in a move led by a small group of conservative members of his own party. Jeffries succeeded Pelosi as the leader of the Democrats in the chamber. Anna Moneymaker Getty Images
Speaker Emerita Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, speaks during a news conference on redistricting at the Governor's Mansion in downtown Sacramento on Aug. 8, 2025. California legislative leaders met with Texas Democratic lawmakers about Republican plans to redistrict. DANIEL HEUER The Sacramento Bee
Bee visuals editor Nathaniel Levine joined the staff in 2003. His work has received awards from the Society of News Design, the Best of the West journalism competition and the California News Publishers Association, among others. A native Californian, Levine grew up in Grass Valley and attended UC Davis.
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