Republican strategist Scott Jennings couldn’t resist taking a jab at Nancy Pelosi’s stock market success during his Thursday appearance on CNN’s The Arena, joking that President Donald Trump should make her head of the Social Security Administration.
Jennings began by acknowledging Pelosi’s political strength, noting her iron grip over the Democratic caucus and fundraising prowess. “There were people who respected her legislative ability and being a political boss,” he said. “Putting Nancy Pelosi in fundraising mail or emails would always produce.”
Then came the punchline. “It’s not often someone becomes a titan of both Washington and Wall Street,” Jennings quipped. “Republicans will remember her as one of the most successful and prolific day traders. She beat the S&P 500 by 559%. She’s worth a lot of money. She did an amazing job. So what a blow for the financial houses today on Wall Street. I’m sure they’re mourning.”
He finished the segment with a mock proposal. “We could all retire in six months if we let this lady manage our portfolios,” Jennings said with a grin.
Pelosi, 85, announced earlier in the day that she would not seek reelection, ending nearly four decades in Congress. Her estimated net worth exceeds $278 million, according to Quiver Quantitative — much of it tied to her husband Paul’s trading success.
Republicans have long accused Pelosi of benefiting from insider knowledge, though she’s denied wrongdoing and later backed legislation to ban congressional stock trading. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., even named his “PELOSI Act” after her — a bill designed to prohibit lawmakers and their spouses from buying or selling individual stocks while in office.