WASHINGTON – Former Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi had to undergo hip surgery at a U.S. military hospital in Germany on Saturday after falling at an event in Luxembourg with other members of Congress.
Pelosi, 84, “is on the mend,” Ian Krager, a spokesman for the San Francisco Democrat, said in a statement.
Pelosi thanked the staff Landstuhl Regional Medical Center and the hospital in Luxembourg, where she was treated, for “their excellent care and kindness.”
She was in Europe with a bipartisan congressional delegation to celebrate 80th anniversary the Battle of the Bulge in Second World War.
Pelosi tripped and fell during an event and broke her hip, according to people familiar with her injury who were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Among those on the trip was Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), who posted on social media Friday that he was “praying for a speedy recovery” for Pelosi. The two lawmakers were captured holding hands in a group photo at the U.S. Embassy in Luxembourg that day.
Pelosi was first elected in 1987. She served as speaker twice, resigned from her leadership post two years ago but remained in Congress and was re-elected to represent her San Francisco district in November.
Jalonick and Mascaro write for the Associated Press. Author Farnoush Amiri contributed to this report.