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Did president Trump call a reporter piggy
Executive summary
Multiple mainstream outlets and fact-checkers report that President Donald Trump told a female reporter “Quiet, quiet, piggy” during an Air Force One gaggle when she asked about Jeffrey Epstein‑related files; video of the exchange was posted by the White House and widely circulated [1] [2] [3]. News organizations identify the reporter as a Bloomberg correspondent, Catherine Lucey, and coverage shows quick public backlash and a defensive White House response [4] [5] [3].
1. What happened on Air Force One — the short version
Video of a November 14 gaggle released by the White House shows a female reporter beginning to ask if there was anything “incriminating” in recently released Epstein emails; President Trump pointed at her, wagged a finger and said, “Quiet. Quiet, piggy,” cutting her off [1] [2] [6]. Several outlets published the clip and contemporaneous reporting identifying the moment as the source of controversy [1] [7].
2. Who was the reporter — attribution and reporting
Bloomberg was repeatedly named in coverage and CBS News reporter Jennifer Jacobs first reported that the comment was directed at a Bloomberg reporter, later identified in other outlets as Catherine Lucey [8] [2] [5]. Some stories note the woman was off‑camera when the exchange began, which contributed to initial uncertainty about precise attribution [1] [7].
3. How outlets framed and varied in tone
Mainstream outlets—including The Guardian, Newsweek, People, Newsweek, Deadline and Global News—reported the quote almost identically and emphasized the sexist tone and historical pattern of derogatory comments toward women in media [8] [2] [7] [1] [6]. Conservative outlets and opinion sites covered the incident as well but framed it as part of larger confrontations between Trump and the press, sometimes minimizing intent or emphasizing provocation by the reporter [9] [10].
4. Official response and pushback
A White House official did not deny the words were spoken but defended the administration, saying the reporter “behaved in an inappropriate and unprofessional way towards her colleagues on the plane” and that “If you’re going to give it, you have to be able to take” — a statement noted by Snopes and other outlets [3]. Bloomberg and other press organizations issued statements defending their White House journalists and criticizing the demeaning language [4] [8].
5. Fact‑checking and verification status
Fact‑checking coverage by Snopes recounts the exchange, cites the White House video, and notes the White House official’s comment without providing independent evidence that the reporter behaved unprofessionally [3]. Multiple independent outlets reported the same wording and point to the White House video as primary evidence [1] [2] [6].
6. Broader context: pattern of insults and gendered language
News reports place this incident in a longer pattern of Trump using demeaning language toward female journalists and public figures; outlets referenced prior examples such as past “Miss Piggy” jibes and other attacks on women in media as context for why the remark drew swift criticism [8] [11]. Commentators and former journalists expressed that the phrasing resonates with earlier documented behavior [8] [11].
7. Political and media consequences to watch
The remark arrived while Congress and transparency advocates were pushing to release Epstein‑related documents; several stories noted the political sensitivity of questions about Epstein and that the House had just acted to release files, making the journalist’s question newsworthy and the president’s reply politically salient [2] [6]. Responses ranged from widespread public criticism to partisan defenses, suggesting continued debate over presidential norms and press freedom [8] [5].
8. What the available reporting does not settle
Available sources do not mention any independent evidence substantiating the White House official’s claim that the reporter “behaved in an inappropriate and unprofessional way” beyond the clip showing the exchange itself; outlets relied on the same video and contemporaneous accounts for verification [3] [1]. Sources also do not present a unified account of immediate consequences for either the reporter or any formal admonition from the White House beyond the official statement [3] [4].
Bottom line: Major outlets and a Snopes review confirm the president said “Quiet, quiet, piggy” to a female Bloomberg reporter during an Air Force One gaggle; coverage frames the line as part of a recurring pattern of derogatory language toward women and prompted rapid backlash alongside a defensive White House comment [1] [2] [3].