Pelosi Calls Out Critics of Taiwan Trip: ‘They Didn’t Say Anything When the Men Came’

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) called out critics of her trip to Taiwan and suggested the “big fuss” may have something to do with gender.

At an event with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen on Wednesday, Pelosi pointed out that earlier trips to the region by lawmakers like Sens. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) in April did not cause nearly as much controversy, especially in China. Pelosi’s trip was condemned by numerous Chinese officials, and President Joe Biden previously noted military officials expressed concern to the Speaker over her travel plans.

“They made a big fuss because I’m the Speaker, I guess. I don’t know if that was a reason or an excuse because they didn’t say anything when the men came,” Pelosi said.

Approximately two dozen Republican senators, including Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), did sign a letter ahead of Pelosi’s trip in support of the Speaker of the House.

Pelosi celebrated both her and Ing-wen being women who have become firsts for the gender.

“It’s a great pride for us today, the first woman speaker in the House meeting the first woman president of Taiwan. We have some enthusiasm for that,” she said, according to Bloomberg.

Pelosi renewed her criticism of aggressions from China against Taiwan. Only minutes after landing in Taiwan, she released a statement calling on the U.S. to do more to support its ally in Taiwan.

“I just hope that it’s really clear that while China has stood in the way of Taiwan participating and going to certain meetings that they understand that they will not stand in the way of people coming to Taiwan,” she said on Wednesday regarding her trip.

Watch above visa Sky News.