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What exact words did Trump use and in what context was the 'piggy' remark reported?
Executive summary
Video and multiple news outlets report that during a press gaggle aboard Air Force One on Nov. 14, 2025, President Trump turned to a Bloomberg reporter and said, “Quiet. Quiet, piggy,” while cutting off a follow-up question about newly released Jeffrey Epstein emails [1] [2]. The exchange was captured on video, went viral days later, and drew defenses from White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt and condemnation from journalists and press groups [3] [4] [5].
1. What the record shows: the exact words and on-camera context
Multiple outlets quote the same short line from an official video of the exchange: as a Bloomberg reporter began a follow-up question about Epstein-related files, Trump snapped, “Quiet. Quiet, piggy,” pointed at her, and moved on to another reporter [1] [2] [6]. Reporting includes a fuller moment in which the reporter asked, “Sir, if there’s nothing incriminating in the files, sir, why not...” before being cut off by the president’s “Quiet. Quiet, piggy” [1].
2. Where and when it happened: the setting matters
Journalists and video reporting place the incident aboard Air Force One during an informal press gaggle on Nov. 14, 2025; the clip later circulated widely online and in mainstream outlets [2] [5]. Coverage notes the exchange followed questions about more than 20,000 pages of documents released by the House committee concerning Jeffrey Epstein and related messages naming public figures [7].
3. Who was identified as the target
Reporting identifies the reporter as a Bloomberg News correspondent, later named in some outlets as Catherine Lucey; contemporaneous reporting cited on-the-scene notes and Bloomberg’s statement about one of its White House correspondents being addressed [8] [9]. Several outlets repeat that it was a female Bloomberg reporter who was cut off and called “piggy” [6] [10].
4. Reaction in the White House: defense and rationale
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt publicly defended the president’s language in a briefing, framing Trump’s bluntness as a trait voters rewarded and arguing reporters should appreciate his frankness when he “calls out fake news” [3] [4]. Leavitt’s remarks themselves prompted additional online criticism and coverage [11].
5. Reaction from the press corps and outside observers
News organizations, press groups and fellow journalists condemned the remark as demeaning; social media amplified the clip and several commentators called it “disgusting” or “unforgivable” while others defended the president’s tone as persona-driven or political [8] [5] [10]. The Society of Professional Journalists and individual journalists were cited as criticizing the demeaning language [3] [10].
6. Reporting consistency and corroboration
Major outlets — Reuters, The New York Times, BBC, Guardian, Reuters video and others — consistently report the same quoted phrasing and situational details, and Snopes summarizes the same account, concluding the president said “Quiet, piggy” during the Air Force One gaggle [3] [1] [12] [2]. This cross-publication consistency strengthens the basic factual account of words used and setting [1] [2].
7. What remains unclear or disputed in coverage
Available reporting describes the exchange and identifies the reporter as from Bloomberg, but some outlets initially did not name her and reports vary on how much of the interaction preceded the phrase beyond a partial follow-up question; sources differ in emphasis on intent, tone and whether this was an isolated moment or part of a pattern [8] [1] [5]. Available sources do not mention an on-the-record direct response from the reporter quoted in the clip [9].
8. Broader context cited by outlets: pattern and timing
Coverage places the incident amid broader scrutiny over the Epstein files and in a period of several abrasive public exchanges between the president and reporters, and cites historical examples of derogatory remarks toward women in political media conflicts to contextualize public reaction [7] [5]. Commentators and a psychologist argued the remark reflected a recurring tactic or character trait, while supportive voices in Congress and media defended or downplayed the incident [13] [14].
9. How to evaluate competing narratives
If you judge strictly by the published video and contemporaneous notes, the precise words — “Quiet. Quiet, piggy” — and the Air Force One gaggle setting are documented across independent outlets [1] [2]. Interpretations about motive, norm-violations, or political strategy vary among journalists, press organizations and the White House; readers should weigh the raw footage and the consistent textual reporting separately from commentary and partisan framing [3] [4] [5].
10. Bottom line for readers
The available reporting and video evidence show President Trump said the quoted words, “Quiet. Quiet, piggy,” to a Bloomberg reporter while she attempted a follow-up question about Epstein files aboard Air Force One; the White House defended the remark and many journalists and press groups condemned it [1] [3] [5]. For further clarity, consult the original video clips and Bloomberg’s own statement and any on-the-record comment from the reporter, which available sources do not supply in detail here [9].