White House Press Secretary Slams Pelosi Over Stock Trades, Backs Congressional Trading Ban

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt recently made waves during a press briefing when she took direct aim at former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, citing her stock trading record as a key reason why a congressional trading ban is gaining momentum.

Reading aloud a series of high-performing trades reportedly made by Pelosi and her husband, Paul Pelosi, Leavitt criticized what she called a troubling trend among elected officials. She claimed their portfolio performance has consistently outpaced financial giants like Warren Buffett and major hedge funds, raising questions about how public servants accumulate such significant wealth.

“The president has had conversations about this with Senator Josh Hawley, who reached out directly,” Leavitt noted. “As President Trump said yesterday from the Roosevelt Room, he fully supports the principle that public officials should not be allowed to personally profit from their time in office.”

Leavitt didn’t hold back in pointing fingers. “This whole debate about banning stock trading in Congress exists because of Nancy Pelosi,” she said. “She earns $174,000 a year as a public servant, yet her estimated net worth is over $400 million. That raises serious concerns.”

Highlighting 2024 financial data, Leavitt said, “Pelosi’s portfolio jumped by 70% in a single year. That performance outdid every major hedge fund and even more than doubled the returns of Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway. That’s not just impressive—it’s suspicious.”

Leavitt said the administration supports the frustration many Americans feel over lawmakers potentially profiting from insider knowledge. “The president understands the public’s outrage and stands with the people on this issue,” she said. “No one in Congress should be enriching themselves while pretending to serve the public interest.”

She added that the White House is currently in active discussions with congressional leaders about the details of any potential legislation. “We’re committed to working with lawmakers to ensure this issue is addressed effectively and transparently,” she said.

The conversation around a potential stock trading ban for elected officials has been picking up steam, particularly following legislation introduced by Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO). His bill—officially titled the Preventing Elected Leaders from Owning Securities and Investments Act, or the PELOSI Act—seeks to bar members of Congress and their spouses from trading individual stocks while in office.

According to Hawley, the legislation is intended to prevent politicians from benefiting financially through access to non-public information. “The American people deserve lawmakers who work for them—not for their stock portfolios,” Hawley said earlier this year when introducing the bill. “We’ve seen far too many politicians turn public office into a personal investment strategy. This has to end.”

The bill allows members of Congress to invest in diversified assets like mutual funds, ETFs, or U.S. Treasury bonds but prohibits them from trading or holding individual company stocks during their terms. The goal is to eliminate conflicts of interest and rebuild public trust in government.

Recent drama surrounding the bill includes a controversial amendment that would have created a loophole for the sitting president to continue trading stocks. Hawley, however, voted against that amendment, joining Senate Democrats to shut it down. That vote reportedly angered former President Donald Trump, who criticized Hawley on Truth Social by calling him a “second-tier Senator.”

Hawley later clarified the situation, saying it was a misunderstanding. He emphasized that the bill’s language exempts President Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance specifically, while setting new rules for future presidents.

Republicans also tried to include a requirement that would make a formal report of the Pelosis’ stock trades public, but that effort was blocked with bipartisan opposition, including from Hawley himself.

Despite the internal clashes, Hawley said that the bill enjoys widespread support, including from House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and a number of Democrats. According to Hawley, Speaker Johnson confirmed that President Trump backs the original legislation.

“This isn’t a partisan issue—it’s about restoring faith in our democracy,” Hawley said. “Politicians shouldn’t be allowed to use their positions to make personal gains. This legislation is a step toward making sure elected officials are held to the same standard as the people they serve.”

As the debate continues in Washington, the push for a congressional stock trading ban appears to be gaining bipartisan momentum—fueled by public scrutiny, growing media coverage, and a renewed focus on government ethics.