--- title: Nancy Pelosi: It Could Be Possible to Indict President Trump description: Nancy Pelosi has indicated she thinks a sitting president can be indicted canonical: https://time.com/5492812/nancy-pelosi-trump-indict/ author: Mahita Gajanan article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2019-01-03T13:44:28.000Z article:modified_time: 2023-12-12T15:47:04.000Z article:section: Politics og:title: Nancy Pelosi Says It Could Be Possible to Indict President Trump og:description: Nancy Pelosi has indicated she thinks a sitting president can be indicted og:url: https://time.com/5492812/nancy-pelosi-trump-indict/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2b395f04aeed65cc/69894290e76ad229cd633e4d/nancy-pelosi-today-indict.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 5472 og:image:height: 3078 og:image:alt: Congressional Leaders Speak To Media After Meeting With President Trump At White House og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Nancy Pelosi Says It Could Be Possible to Indict President Trump twitter:description: Nancy Pelosi has indicated she thinks a sitting president can be indicted twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2b395f04aeed65cc/69894290e76ad229cd633e4d/nancy-pelosi-today-indict.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Nancy Pelosi Says It Could Be Possible to Indict President Trump > Sponsored content. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=7d934f3f-aa19-4d3d-9b24-84038f2de128&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Nancy Pelosi Just Outlined Her Agenda for the Most Diverse Congress Ever [Watch (HLS stream): Nancy Pelosi Just Outlined Her Agenda for the Most Diverse Congress Ever](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/YxU9Nbim.m3u8) (2:46)  _Published 2019-01-03. Nancy Pelosi Just Outlined Her Agenda for the Most Diverse Congress Ever_ by [Mahita Gajanan](https://time.com/author/mahita-gajanan/) ## Mahita Gajanan Gajanan is an editor at TIME. Updated: Dec 12, 2023 3:47 PM UTCPublished: Jan 3, 2019 1:44 PM UTC by [Mahita Gajanan](https://time.com/author/mahita-gajanan/) ## Mahita Gajanan Gajanan is an editor at TIME. Updated: Dec 12, 2023 3:47 PM UTCPublished: Jan 3, 2019 1:44 PM UTC Nancy Pelosi has indicated she thinks a sitting president can be indicted. Speaking with the _Today_ show ahead of being sworn in as House speaker for the second time on Thursday, Pelosi was asked whether special counsel Robert Mueller should abide by the Department of Justice’s guidance stating a sitting president can’t be indicted in his investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election. “I do not think that that is conclusive,” Pelosi said. “No, I do not.” > [](https://twitter.com/TODAYshow/status/1080801047994662912) When asked whether Mueller could indict President Trump over his campaign’s alleged connections with Russia, Pelosi seemed open to the possibility. “I think that is an open discussion, in terms of the law,” she said. Issued in 2000, the guidance from the DOJ’s Office of Legal Counsel says, “The indictment or criminal prosecution of a sitting President would unconstitutionally undermine the capacity of the executive branch to perform its constitutionally assigned functions.” Pelosi noted that “It’s not the law,” while speaking with _Today_. “Everything indicates that a president can be indicted after he is no longer president of the United States,” she said. Pelosi also did not rule out the possibility of Trump being impeached. “We have to wait and see what happens with the Mueller report,” she said. “We shouldn’t be impeaching for a political reason, and we shouldn’t avoid impeachment for a political reason.” ## Transcript Let me be clear house Democrats are down with NDP Nancy D'Alesandro Pelosi the once and future speaker of the United States House of Representatives I proudly place her name in nomination, may God bless her, may god bless the United States of America. I extend my hand of friendship To every member of this body, and to the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, I extend to you this gavel. [ APPLAUSE ] Thank you, everybody. I am particularly proud to be a woman Speaker of the House. Of this Congress which marks the 100th year of woman having the right to vote. [ Cheering ] and that we all have the ability and the privilege to serve with over 100 woman and members of congress The largest number in history. And I pledge that this Congress will be transparent, bipartisan, and unifying. That we will seek to reach across the aisle in this chamber and across divisions across our nation. In the past two years, the American people have spoken. Tens of thousands of public events were held. Hundreds of thousands of people turned out, millions of calls were made, countless families, even sick little children are little lobbyists, our little lobbyists, bravely came forward to tell their stories and they made a big difference. I'd like to call my grandchildren up to be here when I take the oath, and any other children that wanna join them. Come on, kids. Me, me [ LAUGHTER ] [ BLANK_AUDIO ] If the gentlewoman from California would please raise your right hand, which you are doing. Do you solemnly swear that you will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. That you will bear true faith and allegiance to the same. That you take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion. And that you will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office Which you are about to enter, so help you God? I do. 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