Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is once again making headlines, this time for her sharp comments about President Donald Trump. In a recent interview with CNN, the California Democrat referred to the president as “a vile creature” and “the worst thing on the face of the earth.” Her remarks aired Monday and come amid ongoing concerns about political rhetoric and the rise in politically motivated violence across the country.
Pelosi, 85, didn’t hold back when asked by CNN’s Elex Michaelson if she truly believed Trump was the worst thing on earth. “I do, yeah,” she replied. She went on to accuse President Trump of not respecting the U.S. Constitution and claimed that he had “turned the Supreme Court into a rogue court,” “abolished the House of Representatives,” and “chilled the press.” She also alleged that Trump’s leadership had made legal immigrants fearful.
The former Speaker did not provide clarification on what she meant by “abolishing” the House of Representatives, or how Trump has allegedly turned the Supreme Court into a rogue institution. The interview primarily focused on California’s upcoming special election and Proposition 50 — a controversial ballot measure that could allow the state’s Democratic leadership to redraw congressional districts in ways that are expected to favor their party in the 2026 midterms.
The timing of Pelosi’s statements has drawn attention, especially as political tensions remain high across the country. Her interview comes just weeks after two separate assassination attempts were made against President Trump in 2024, as well as the recent assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk in September. Those incidents have put a spotlight on rising political violence, and some Republican lawmakers say the rhetoric from high-profile Democrats isn’t helping.
Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO), who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, recently called for a nationwide conversation about left-wing extremism. During a hearing last week, Schmitt said that over the past 15 months, political violence has “been a constant fact of American life.”
Conservative commentator Michael Knowles testified at the hearing and directly connected the issue to recent events. “In light of the murder of my friend Charlie Kirk by a leftist assassin, I am gratified to see that at least some members of our federal legislature are now confronting the consistent and escalating pattern of left-wing terrorism in the country,” Knowles said. He also criticized efforts to suggest both sides are equally responsible for the violence, saying, “This seems to me confusing and misbegotten as one cannot solve a problem if one does not know where the problem lies.”
Pelosi herself has been a victim of political violence. Her husband, Paul Pelosi, was attacked in their San Francisco home in 2022. The alleged attacker, David DePape, reportedly held right-wing conspiracy beliefs and testified in court that he wanted to question Nancy Pelosi and get her to admit to corruption. At the time, President Trump called the situation “sad” but also remarked at a rally that the Pelosi home’s security measures were ineffective. “Pelosi has a big wall wrapped around her house, but of course, it didn’t help too much with the problem she had, did it?” he said.
As for Pelosi’s political future, NBC News reports that she may soon announce her retirement from Congress. She has served 20 terms and has remained one of the most influential figures in the Democratic Party for decades. When asked about her plans during the CNN interview, Pelosi said her top focus is on winning back control of the House.
“The only reason I’m in Congress this term is to win the House for the Democrats, to protect us from the poison of the Trump administration,” Pelosi said. “It’s just a question about one thing: winning the House.”
Pelosi: Trump is “a vile creature. The worst thing on the face of the Earth.”
CNN: “You think he’s the worst thing on the face of the Earth?”
Pelosi: “I do.” pic.twitter.com/5zziHbzIN0
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) November 3, 2025
With Proposition 50 on the ballot and emotions still high on both sides of the aisle, the months ahead are likely to bring even more heated political battles as both parties gear up for the 2026 elections.
