Alexandra Pelosi, the offspring of ex-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, delivered a sharp criticism of the outgoing First Lady, Jill Biden, over the past weekend. This incident has highlighted the increasingly strained relations between two of the most influential Democratic families in Washington, D.C.
“If I was Lady McBiden, I’d put on my big girl pants, play the long game, and think about my husband’s legacy,” Alexandra Pelosi said to the press on Saturday, January 18, 2025.
Pelosi came to her mother’s defense, declaring “There aren’t that many people left in America who have something nice to say about Joe Biden, and Nancy Pelosi is one of them.”
The disagreement became public following a Washington Post interview with Jill Biden in January 2025, where she expressed doubt over her half-century friendship with Nancy Pelosi. This came after the Democratic revolt in June 2024, which led to Joe Biden’s exit from the 2024 presidential race. “We were friends for 50 years,” Biden stated during the interview. “Let’s just say I was disappointed with how it unfolded. I learned a lot about human nature.”
Though Nancy Pelosi denied pressuring Biden to step down, insiders confirmed her participation in talks concerning his sinking poll numbers. A source knowledgeable about the situation disclosed to the press, “There were no threats. She just told him the truth — he was losing in every poll, and people had lost confidence.”
The bond between Biden, who had awarded Nancy Pelosi the Presidential Medal of Freedom in May 2024, and Pelosi experienced a significant strain after Democrats pressured Biden to step down before the presidential election. In an interview in August 2024, Biden spoke about the political stress he was under, noting that some Democratic lawmakers in both the House and Senate voiced concerns that his candidacy could adversely affect their chances in the elections. This political divergence led to an obvious chill in their relationship. Biden disclosed that he and Pelosi didn’t communicate for three months after the June rebellion, marking a considerable change in their previously close alliance.
The relationship further soured when the Bidens kept quiet following Nancy Pelosi’s hip injury that required surgery in December 2024.
After Biden stepped aside and backed Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee, Nancy Pelosi spoke about the timing of his decision. Pelosi stated that Harris probably would have done well and grown stronger as a candidate moving forward. She also noted that Biden’s quick endorsement of Harris effectively made it virtually impossible to hold a primary at that time.
Alexandra Pelosi, a 54-year-old documentary filmmaker known for her work on the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot in Washington, D.C., has regularly defended her mother amid the political upheaval. Her documentary featured Nancy Pelosi’s reaction to the events at the U.S. Capitol.
Those close to both families suggest this rift could have enduring consequences for the unity of the Democratic party.
