Photo Shows Pelosi Posing After Breaking Her Hip, Before Going To Hospital

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What's New

A Republican lawmaker said Tuesday that after former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi fell and broke her hip last week, she got up and posed for a photograph before going to the hospital.

"She had a hip replacement," Texas Representative Michael McCaul told ABC News on Monday. "I was right next to her. She likes to wear high heels. Very high. She was on one of her last steps on this marble staircase that didn't have a railing. She lost her footing and fell to the ground. I immediately helped pick her up."

McCaul also told ABC's Jay O'Brien that after the former House Speaker fell, she powered through, took the photograph, and then went to the hospital.

"We took a picture after that, you can see me holding her up by her hand, and then very soon thereafter, a vehicle showed up, and she was taken to the hospital," McCaul said.

Newsweek reached out to McCaul's office for comment.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi poses with a congressional delegation to Luxembourg to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge. Texas Representative Michael McCaul, standing next to Pelosi, told ABC News she... U.S. Embassy Luxembourg via X

Why It Matters

Pelosi, 84, is one of the most powerful figures in the Democratic Party. She made headlines last week after falling down the stairs while on a congressional trip to Luxembourg to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge.

It was the second time in a week that an older member of Congress suffered an injury. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, 82, fell and sprained his wrist last Tuesday after a Senate Republican lunch on Capitol Hill, his office told Newsweek.

What To Know

A spokesperson for Pelosi announced Saturday that the California Democrat had a "successful hip replacement" after she was hospitalized abroad.

The former House Speaker's office also said Friday that she was "receiving excellent treatment from doctors and medical professionals" after the fall.

"Earlier this morning, Speaker Emerita Pelosi underwent a successful hip replacement and is well on the mend," Pelosi's spokesperson, Ian Krager, said in an official statement Saturday morning.

He added: "Speaker Pelosi is grateful to U.S. military staff at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center at Landstuhl Army Base and medical staff at Hospital Kirchberg in Luxembourg for their excellent care and kindness Speaker Pelosi is enjoying the overwhelming outpouring of prayers and well wishes and is ever determined to ensure access to quality health care for all Americans."

Who is Nancy Pelosi?

Nancy Pelosi is an influential American politician and member of the Democratic Party who served as the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. She was the first woman in U.S. history to hold this position, showcasing her significant role in American politics. Representing California's 12th congressional district, Pelosi has been a central figure in legislative processes, particularly during key moments like the passage of the Affordable Care Act and multiple impeachment trials of President Donald Trump. Her leadership has marked her as a formidable presence in Congress.

Although Pelosi stepped down from the speakership last year, she continues wielding tremendous power within the Democratic Party.

She was instrumental in getting U.S. President Joe Biden to bow out of the 2024 presidential race after his disastrous performance against President-elect Donald Trump in an ABC News debate over the summer.

And this week, Pelosi duked it out—from her hospital bed—with New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez over Ocasio-Cortez's bid to be the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee. The New York Times reported that Pelosi worked the phones behind the scenes to convince Democrats to throw their support behind Representative Gerry Connolly, 74.

Ocasio-Cortez lost to Connolly by a vote of 131-84.

What People Are Saying

McCaul told ABC News: "She's 84, but when I talked to her on the phone, she had a lot of energy. Very spunky, she wants to get out of there, wants to be able to fly back home to the United States. But, you know, overall, she's in good spirits and there's no more health danger to her other than a hip replacement."

Sharon Eliza Nichols, director of communications for Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, said on X: "She broke her hip, put her stilettos back on and took the freaking picture.

That is the most Nancy Pelosi thing ever done."

Charlie Kirk, conservative political commentator, author, and founder of Turning Point USA, wrote on X on December 14 after Pelosi originally fell and broke her hip, "I don't care that Nancy Pelosi broke her hip, I still want to see her arrested & charged for Insider Trading."