During his February 25, 2026 State of the Union address, President Trump called on Congress to pass the Stop Insider Trading Act, which would prohibit members of Congress, their spouses, and dependent children from purchasing publicly traded stocks and require seven-day advance public notice before selling existing holdings. The proposal received a standing ovation from members of both parties, including progressive Senator Elizabeth Warren, prompting Trump to express mock surprise at Democratic support.
Trump then departed from his prepared remarks to question whether former Speaker Nancy Pelosi stood for the measure, saying "Did Nancy Pelosi stand up, if she's here? Doubt it." The comment drew laughter from Republicans, including visible reactions from Vice President JD Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson. Pelosi, who was present in the chamber, later told reporters she did stand and applaud, and defended herself by saying if there were wrongdoing "people get prosecuted for it."
The Stop Insider Trading Act (H.R. 7008) was introduced in January 2026 by Republican Rep. Bryan Steil and has cleared a House committee but awaits a full House vote. It currently lacks the votes needed to pass either chamber, with some Republicans and most Democrats not yet supporting it. Democrats have introduced competing legislation that would also cover the president and vice president. Pelosi's husband Paul Pelosi, a venture capitalist, has made stock trades that generated scrutiny over the years, with the couple's combined net worth estimated at approximately $280 million. Between 2022 and 2025, Pelosi reported a trade volume of $56.9 million.