Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s time in Washington, D.C., is coming to an end, as she prepares for retirement in January after spending nearly 40 years in Congress.
But her legacy—the good, the bad, and the ugly—will live on, no doubt about it.
That is especially true of her two terms as leader of the House, which, according to another former Speaker, California Republican Kevin McCarthy, was often marked with controversy.
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During an interview with Fox News host Jesse Watters this week, McCarthy said that often Pelosi would “yell” at Republicans and tell them they “shouldn’t be in the room.”
McCarthy was addressing a graphic titled, “How Each Side Views the Other,” which went on to claim that most conservatives view liberals as “children” while liberals view conservatives as “savages.”
“It is so true, and this is where they get the Trump syndrome,” McCarthy said, referring to what President Donald Trump has often referred to as “Trump Derangement Syndrome.”
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Regarding Pelosi, the former GOP Speaker said, “It’s true of how they would treat us.”
“Nancy Pelosi really felt this about us. Like, we shouldn’t be in the room; she would yell at me sometimes,” McCarthy said.
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“And then, they would put magnetometers to try to deny us from entering, and you couldn’t co-author with us,” he added.
Magnetometers are commonly used at security checkpoints to detect weapons by sensing changes in magnetic fields created by metal objects, including firearms.
They became a focal point in investigations surrounding the Jan. 6, 2021, events at the U.S. Capitol after testimony indicated that Trump was frustrated with Secret Service screening procedures requiring rally attendees to pass through magnetometers before entering the event area because he wanted to maximize attendance.
“It was so outrageous that you couldn’t respect the other one, and this is the problem I have, where I think America has failed a little bit when it came to politics,” McCarthy, who has not announced any plans to run again for office, continued.
“We should be able to disagree with somebody without being disrespectful.”
Referencing the graphic again, McCarthy said, “If you noticed in that, the Republicans respect the other side.”
“They just thought you were children. We had hope that they would grow up one day,” he continued.
“But they treated us and thought of us as monsters and murderers. How would you ever look to that person to be better?” he added.
WATCH:
McCarthy: Nancy Pelosi would yell at me. And then they would put magnetometers to try to deny us from entering. pic.twitter.com/Gu4E7lyZLH
— Acyn (@Acyn) July 30, 2026
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Pelosi’s temper is somewhat legendary on Capitol Hill.
In June, for instance, she snapped at Lindell TV reporter Alison Steinberg and told her to “shut up” for repeatedly “spouting untruths.”
Steinberg approached the former House Speaker on the Hill, asking her about why she blocked the National Guard from intervening at the Capitol during the Jan. 6.
As she pressed the congresswoman about the last time Steinberg questioned her regarding the National Guard—specifically, when Pelosi told her to “shut up”—Pelosi interjected, countering Steinberg’s claims in a heated exchange.
During the altercation, the congresswoman told the reporter to “get away from me” while also criticizing her employer, Mike Lindell, the CEO of MyPillow:
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Nancy Pelosi just torched Mike Lindell’s fake media journalist. This is awesome. pic.twitter.com/zHPsysOAUK
— America Matters Media (@usamattersmedia) June 4, 2026
STEINBERG: Last time I asked you about January 6, why you turned the National Guard away on January 6, you told me to shut up and that I was repeating Republican talking points.
PELOSI: And I’ll tell you to shut up again because you’re speaking lies, and I don’t have anything to do with it.
STEINBERG: You’re here, right here, on record saying, “I’ll admit it.”
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PELOSI: No, I did not admit it. The president never sent– would agree to send the National Guard. Don’t waste your time or mine on you.
STEINBERG: Why was your daughter filming you on January 6?
PELOSI: Why don’t you get away?
PELOSI: You should record this. I want people to know that you’re not a real journalist. You work for Mike the pillow man, and all you do is spout untruths. Get away from me.
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.
