Instead, it’s become an iconic symbol of Pelosi’s continued presence as the most powerful woman in US politics and her unmatched ability to use the President’s own rhetoric against him.
In the photo, Pelosi is the only woman at the table. She stands directly across from the seated President, her finger pointed straight at him.
It’s a powerful moment and one that was captured during a high-tension, White House briefing regarding Trump’s decision to withdraw US troops from Syria, effectively abandoning Kurdish forces.
Pelosi, along with fellow Democrats Chuck Schumer and Steny Hoyer, walked out of the meeting and said the president had a “very serious meltdown” during discussions.
“I pray for the president all the time…I think now we have to pray for his health – this was a very serious meltdown on the part of the president,” Pelosi told reporters.
She added that Democrats “couldn’t continue in the meeting because he was just not relating to the reality of it”.
Trump then tweeted the photo with the caption, ‘Nervous Nancy’s unhinged meltdown’.
Nervous Nancy’s unhinged meltdown! pic.twitter.com/RDeUI7sfe7
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 16, 2019
He shortly followed with another image of Pelosi at the meeting, asking “Do you think they like me?”
Do you think they like me? pic.twitter.com/TDmUnJ8HtF
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 16, 2019
As Rep. Veronica Escobar wrote, “someone is definitely nervous and unhinged. But it’s not Speaker Pelosi.”
This photo could be a Pelosi campaign poster — the sole woman in the room, literally standing up to the President. Why he thinks this makes her look bad is a mystery. https://t.co/7iEuD4UUVO
— David Lauter (@DavidLauter) October 16, 2019
In classic Pelosi style, she quickly turned the tables on Trump; making the image her Twitter cover photo and conveying it as a banner of strength.
What we’ve come to learn about Speaker Pelosi this year is that she is not afraid to take a stand against Trump, having recently launched an official impeachment inquiry into his presidency. In January, she blocked him from delivering the State of the Union address in the House chamber until the government shutdown over the border wall was resolved.
When asked about what she was saying in the moment captured in the photo, Pelosi replied, “At that moment I was probably saying, ‘All roads lead to Putin.'”