Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, 84, was hospitalized on Friday after tripping and falling on marble stairs at the Grand Ducal Palace in Luxembourg, where she was traveling with a congressional delegation to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge. Her office confirmed the fall but has not provided details about the nature of her injuries. Pelosi’s spokesperson assured the public that she was receiving excellent treatment from medical professionals.
Pelosi, who served as Speaker of the House for 20 years and was the first woman to hold the position, retired as speaker after the Republicans regained control of the House in 2022. She was given the title “Speaker Emerita” by the House Democratic Caucus the same year.
Pelosi’s fall follows a similar incident involving Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell, 82, who also recently fell and sustained minor injuries. This has drawn attention to the aging political leadership in the U.S., with both Pelosi and McConnell being among the older members of Congress. The growing age of American politicians, including President Joe Biden (82) and former President Donald Trump (78), has sparked discussions about the need for term limits in Congress. Polls show that 87% of Americans across party lines support such limits, though implementing them would require a difficult constitutional amendment.
Despite the public outcry for term limits, experts like Casey Burgat from George Washington University argue against them, suggesting that term limits could undermine the incentive for politicians to deeply understand policy and legislative procedures, which often takes years to master.