Nancy Pelosi has been hospitalized in Luxembourg while traveling with a bipartisan Congressional delegation to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge. According to a statement issued by Ian Krager, the congresswoman’s spokesperson, “Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi sustained an injury during an official engagement and was admitted to the hospital for evaluation.”
The statement goes on to say that Pelosi “continues to work” while she is receiving medical care, although it also says that she will not be attending the remaining events scheduled on the trip. No further details were given on the nature of her injury.
The 84-year-old former Speaker of the House was re-elected to a 20th term in Congress this year, while at the same time, the age and health of the country’s elected leaders has become a source of concern. Earlier this week, 82-year-old Senator Mitch McConnell suffered a fall and cut his face, and had previously drawn concern to his health after freezing in front of reporters, unable to speak. California Senator Dianne Feinstein, who died in office at the age of 90 in 2023, was manifestly suffering from cognitive decline for years before her death, losing track of discussions in committee meetings and repeating herself. Pelosi defended Feinstein as many observers pressured the senator to step down, claiming that calls for her retirement were motivated by gender bias. She said that when it comes to men, the standard has been that “it’s OK, you know, they can vote, and it’s all they need to do,” but that “Dianne comes along and then they’re making such a fuss? Uh-uh. It’s a guy thing, but that’s the way the world is.” Nevertheless, when President Joe Biden’s mental acuity appeared to be failing this summer after a disastrous debate against the now president-elect Donald Trump, Pelosi was credited with convincing the 82-year-old to not seek a second term.
Nancy Pelosi will be 86 when her term ends next year.
