Nancy Pelosi took to the Capitol on Wednesday for a January 6 plaque unveiling ceremony, and what unfolded was less a solemn remembrance and more a rambling, disjointed attack on President Trump that left observers wondering if the former Speaker was fully present. Standing before lawmakers and cameras, Pelosi launched into a long-winded rant that meandered through accusations of insurrection, personal grievances, and dramatic retellings of that day in 2021—all while slurring her words and struggling to maintain her train of thought.
“When people visit the Capitol, they will always see a tribute to the bravery, to the courage, to the patriotism, to the debt that we owe our law enforcement officers on that terrible day,” Pelosi began, her words already beginning to blur together. Then came the pivot to her favorite target: “They fought that for the Congress of the United States at a time when a instant — an insurrection was incited by the president of the United States. Who could figure that that would ever happen?” The irony, of course, is that Trump was never charged with insurrection, a fact that seems to escape Pelosi no matter how many times she repeats the claim.
Pelosi’s account grew more theatrical as she recounted being pulled from the podium during the certification of electoral votes. “I remember being pulled off the podium. I was presiding because that was what we did,” she said, her voice trailing into confusion. “That day was the important – uh – day according to the Constitution that we would confirm the election of the president of the United States.” Her concern, she insisted, wasn’t for herself but for her security detail—noble words that might carry more weight if they weren’t delivered with such obvious political calculation.
But here’s what makes this performance particularly galling: we know the rest of the story. We know because footage released by the House Oversight Committee in June 2024 captured Pelosi on January 6 itself admitting, “I take responsibility.” Not Trump’s responsibility—her own. We know because it’s widely reported that Pelosi and DC Mayor Muriel Bowser turned down thousands of National Guard troops for the Capitol that day, a decision that had nothing to do with security and everything to do with optics.
January 6 was always a setup, and Pelosi was in on it from the beginning. The plaque she unveiled Wednesday should have borne her own name alongside the officers she claims to honor—because the trauma of that day, the chaos and confusion, traces back to decisions made at the top. When a reporter confronted her last year about refusing the National Guard, Pelosi snapped, “SHUT UP!” The mask slipped then, and it slipped again this week in the Capitol. Some things never change.
Providence watches over the bold.
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