Which reporter did Trump reportedly call 'piggy' and what was their response?

1. What happened — the short narrative

Video from a Nov. 14 Air Force One gaggle shows a female Bloomberg reporter attempting a follow-up question about newly released Jeffrey Epstein-related emails when President Trump interrupted, pointed toward her and said in a sing-song tone, “Quiet! Quiet, piggy,” before moving to another reporter ^{[4] [3] [6]}. The clip circulated widely and prompted immediate media coverage and criticisms of the president’s treatment of journalists ^{[7] [8]}.

2. Who the reporter is — identification and caveats

Multiple news organizations identified the off-camera reporter as Bloomberg’s White House correspondent Catherine Lucey; outlets naming her include The New York Times, Daily Mail and others that cite video context and reporting by Bloomberg colleagues ^{[1] [2]}. Some early posts and summaries noted only “a Bloomberg reporter” while CBS reporter Jennifer Jacobs first reported a Bloomberg reporter was called “piggy” without naming Lucey, which is why early accounts were cautious ^{[7] [8]}.

3. How the reporter and her employer responded

Bloomberg’s White House team and the news organization defended their work; Bloomberg issued a statement emphasizing the importance of White House journalists performing their duties without fear or favor ^[5]. Available sources do not include a direct, on-the-record personal statement from Catherine Lucey in the linked reporting; some outlets quote colleagues and organizational statements instead ^{[2] [5]}.

4. Evidence and verification — video, timelines, and fact checks

The White House posted video of the gaggle that shows the exchange; news outlets used that footage to verify the remark and its context ^{[4] [3]}. Fact-checking and summary pieces treated the “Quiet, piggy” line as authenticated by the video and by contemporaneous reporting from journalists on the scene ^{[9] [6]}.

5. Broader context — why this drew attention

Reporters and commentators tied the moment to an ongoing political fight over release of Epstein-related documents, noting Trump reversed position and said he would sign legislation to release related files days after the clip circulated ^[8]. Critics framed the comment as part of a pattern of the president’s hostile personal attacks on female journalists; supporters or some White House statements sought to cast the reporter’s behavior as unprofessional, arguing the response was provoked — a claim for which the White House provided no supporting evidence in the cited reporting ^{[5] [7]}.

6. Competing viewpoints and the media reaction

Mainstream outlets, press associations and commentators from across the political spectrum criticized the remark as demeaning and beneath presidential dignity; some conservative commentators and a White House official suggested the reporter’s conduct warranted rebuke, though the White House did not provide specific examples substantiating that claim in the cited pieces ^{[7] [5]}. The National Press Club and other journalism groups publicly criticized the president’s remarks in coverage of the episode ^[1].

7. What the sources do and do not say

The provided sources consistently report the remark and identify Catherine Lucey as the Bloomberg reporter in question ^{[2] [1] [3]}. Available sources do not include a direct on-camera quote from Lucey responding herself in the immediate aftermath, though Bloomberg’s institutional comment defends its White House journalists ^{[5] [2]}. Available sources do not mention any formal disciplinary action against Lucey or detailed evidence substantiating the White House’s assertion that she behaved inappropriately ^[5].

8. Why this matters — press access and norms

Journalists and press-rights organizations see the incident as part of a larger debate over presidential conduct toward the press and the norms that govern reporter access and safety; critics argue such language can chill questioning, while defenders of the president frame the exchange as a rebuke of perceived rudeness — an argument unaccompanied by presented evidence in the cited reporting ^{[7] [5]}.

Sources: Video and reporting from outlets including The New York Times (naming Catherine Lucey) ^[1], Daily Mail (identifying Lucey) ^[2], BBC (video coverage) ^[3], Deadline/Newsweek/CNN (coverage and context) ^{[4] [8] [6]}, and analysis/fact-check pieces ^[9].