Who did Trump call piggy?
Executive summary
President Donald Trump called Bloomberg White House correspondent Catherine Lucey “piggy” during a press gaggle aboard Air Force One after she pressed him about recently released Jeffrey Epstein emails; the exchange—captured and circulated online—has drawn widespread media attention and condemnation, and the White House has defended the remark [1] [2]. Coverage frames the line as part of a broader pattern of attacks on female journalists by Trump, while the White House and allies say his bluntness explains or justifies the outburst [3] [4].
1. What happened — the moment captured on Air Force One
During a November press gaggle, Catherine Lucey pressed President Trump about whether anything in Epstein’s emails was incriminating; as Lucey tried to follow up, Trump pointed at her and said “Quiet. Quiet, piggy,” then moved on to another question [1] [2]. Multiple outlets describe the clip as viral and locate the exchange on Air Force One and in the Oval Office context of the same week [5] [1].
2. Who was called “piggy” — the reporter identified
Bloomberg’s White House correspondent Catherine Lucey has been identified by colleagues and reporting as the reporter Trump addressed with the “piggy” remark; profiles and news stories list her as a former Wall Street Journal and AP reporter who joined Bloomberg as a White House correspondent earlier in 2025 [2] [6].
3. Reaction from the White House and allies — defense, not apology
The White House defended the president’s language, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt framing Trump’s bluntness as part of his appeal and saying his remarks reflected frankness and transparency; the White House declined to expand beyond that defense [1] [4]. Some allies and figures have questioned whether the moment occurred as reported, but multiple mainstream outlets document the exchange and the White House response [7] [8].
4. Media and journalistic backlash — condemnation and concern
News organizations, press watchdogs and many journalists condemned the remark as demeaning and unacceptable; the Society of Professional Journalists explicitly criticized Trump’s disparaging language toward reporters and noted his history of demeaning women [1] [9]. Commentators and editorial pages framed the insult as part of an ongoing pattern of misogynistic attacks from Trump and warned of the chilling effect on press freedom [3] [10].
5. Broader pattern and context cited by critics
Commentators link the “quiet, piggy” episode to earlier incidents in which Trump insulted women publicly—examples include past attacks on Rosie O’Donnell and others—which critics say demonstrates a pattern rather than an isolated lapse [9] [3]. Opinion pieces argue that animalizing language aimed at women has specific gendered implications and can serve to silence or demean female questioners [11].
6. Political and cultural responses — mockery, legislation and partisan framing
The clip prompted political mockery (for example, opponents photoshopping images and public figures mocking the remark) and renewed calls from some lawmakers to press for transparency around the Epstein materials; reporting ties the incident to a moment of bipartisan interest in releasing related files [5] [10]. Opponents used the exchange to underscore concerns about the president’s rhetoric; supporters framed it as ordinary bluntness and a response to “fake news” [4] [12].
7. What sources agree and where they diverge
News outlets broadly agree on the basic facts: the words were uttered, the setting was a press gaggle/related White House encounters that week, and Catherine Lucey is the reporter identified [1] [2]. They diverge in tone: straight news outlets report reactions and the White House defense [1], while opinion and editorial pieces emphasize the misogynistic pattern and potential harms of such language [11] [10]. Some commentators and allies seek to downplay or question the incident even as video and contemporaneous reporting circulated [7] [4].
8. Limitations and what’s not in the reporting
Available sources do not mention any formal apology from the president to Catherine Lucey, nor do they report a retraction of the remark by the White House (not found in current reporting). Sources do not provide new evidence that the Epstein emails personally implicate Trump in crimes; coverage focuses on the political fallout from both the files and the exchange [2] [6].
9. Bottom line for readers
The record in mainstream reporting is clear that Trump called Bloomberg reporter Catherine Lucey “piggy” during a news gaggle; reactions split along predictable lines—with press organizations and many commentators condemning the comment as sexist and demeaning, while the White House and supporters defended his bluntness [1] [3]. The episode has been folded into wider debates over presidential rhetoric, press treatment and the political significance of the Epstein materials [10] [5].