In recent days, Donald Trump’s contentious relationship with journalists has been particularly evident. His most recent encounter with a female Bloomberg reporter has sparked considerable outrage, with many suggesting it marks one of his most significant verbal altercations to date.
“Quiet! Quiet, piggy!”
Amid ongoing discussions about Jeffrey Epstein’s controversial files, President Trump got into a heated exchange with the press. It escalated to him referring to a female reporter as “piggy” when questioned about his name appearing in emails linked to Epstein, the notorious financier and convicted offender.
As reported by the BBC, the incident took place aboard Air Force One on November 14. Trump was under scrutiny regarding emails associated with Epstein, who died in prison in 2019. When pressed on his awareness of these emails, Trump deflected the question, urging focus on others named, such as former President Bill Clinton.
When Bloomberg reporter Catherine Lucey tried to pursue the topic further, Trump sharply retorted, saying: “Quiet! Quiet, piggy.”
The brief but intense encounter was filmed and rapidly gained traction online. In the footage, Trump can be seen leaning forward, gesturing pointedly, and making the remark in an unexpectedly harsh tone.
Lucey had been asking why, if there was nothing incriminating in the files, he would resist their release, when Trump abruptly interrupted her.
Online Reactions
Trump’s comment surfaced amidst increasing demands for the Justice Department to publicly release all Epstein-related records. Interestingly, over the weekend, he altered his viewpoint, urging Republicans to support a measure that would mandate the release of the files.
The reaction from the public was immediate and intense. Social media was ablaze with criticism. One user on Twitter/X remarked, “This man is the President, yet he, who is not slim himself, calls someone else piggy,” going as far as juxtaposing this with an image of the popular Muppet character, Miss Piggy.
Another individual reflected, “Can you imagine ANY OTHER president speaking to a female journalist like that in a media gathering?”
Comments on Reddit were both scathing and humorous. “Female reporters should start calling him Mr. Fat F from now on,” one suggested, critiquing the lack of response from the press. “It’s disheartening to see the entire White House Press Corps remain silent while their colleague is treated this way—no spine whatsoever,” another added.
On Tuesday, MSNBC’s senior White House correspondent, Vaughn Hillyard, shared via X that the administration was responding to the backlash. According to Hillyard, officials redirected the blame, suggesting the reporter’s behavior was unprofessional.
The exact nature of Lacey’s alleged missteps with her peers is not detailed. However, commentators have noted that such blame-shifting is typical of the Trump administration’s handling of media disputes, resonating with Trump’s well-documented animosity toward journalists.
“I think the license should be taken away…”
Donald Trump snaps at female reporter who asks about Epstein files:
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) November 18, 2025
“Quiet, Piggy!” pic.twitter.com/K42gA3uXCD
This isn’t the first time Trump has clashed with reporters in public. In a recent exchange, he sharply criticized a journalist who interrupted during one of his briefings, saying, “You are the worst. I don’t know why they even have you.”
Just before this, Trump targeted ABC reporter Mary Bruce, after she raised the issue of Jamal Khashoggi’s 2018 killing by Saudi operatives.
He insinuated that his friend, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, might want to consider penalizing ABC for its reporting.
“I think ABC’s news license should be revoked because their news is so fake and it’s so incorrect,” he declared.
This latest episode has rekindled discussions surrounding Trump’s interactions with the press, eliciting criticism for his remarks and specifically for singling out a female journalist.
