Who is Nancy Pelosi, the first female speaker in American history? Who announced her retirement from Congress?

Nancy Pelosi announced her retirement from Congress in 2026, deciding not to run for re-election. She was the first female Speaker of the House and a prominent figure in American politics. Her retirement sets the stage for a new leadership competition in the Democratic Party. Pelosi, who entered Congress from California’s San Francisco district in 1987, has been a leading voice in American politics for almost four decades. She served as the first female Speaker of the House from 2007 to 2011 and then from 2019 to 2023. She not only became the face of the Democratic Party but also an emblem of power and leadership in the American political system.