White House Press Secretary Defends President's 'Piggy' Comment
The White House has issued a robust defence of Donald Trump's reference to a Bloomberg News correspondent as a 'piggy', claiming the President was calling out 'fake news'. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt made these remarks during a White House briefing, stating that Trump 'calls out fake news when he sees it and gets frustrated with reporters who spread false information'. She provided no evidence to support this claim.
Leavitt further argued that the American people re-elected Trump precisely because of his blunt communication style. She suggested that members of the media should appreciate his willingness to provide what she called 'unprecedented access' and to answer questions on a near-daily basis.
The Onboard Confrontation and Its Aftermath
The incident occurred on Friday onboard Air Force One. Catherine Lucey, Bloomberg’s White House correspondent, asked President Trump a question concerning the unfolding Jeffrey Epstein scandal. She specifically inquired about the possibility of the House voting to release all files related to the case, a motion which subsequently came to fruition earlier this week.
As Lucey began to ask why Trump was behaving in a certain manner 'if there’s nothing incriminating in the files', the President pointed at her and said: 'Quiet. Quiet, piggy.' The remark drew severe condemnation on Monday and Tuesday from fellow journalists and media figures across the political spectrum.
CNN anchor Jake Tapper described the comment on X as 'disgusting and completely unacceptable'. Former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson echoed this sentiment, calling the remark 'disgusting and degrading'.
A Pattern of Hostility Towards Journalists
This episode is not an isolated one. On Tuesday, Trump called another female reporter, Mary Bruce of ABC News, 'a terrible person' in the Oval Office. Bruce had asked the visiting Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, about the killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi and had also questioned Trump on why he had not released the Epstein files himself.
In response to her question, Trump stated, 'It’s not the question that I mind. It’s your attitude. I think you are a terrible reporter. It’s the way you ask these questions.'
Following these incidents, the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) issued a formal statement condemning Trump's remarks. The statement read, 'These incidents are not isolated; they are part of an unmistakable pattern of hostility – often directed at women – that undermines the essential role of a free and independent press.'
SPJ executive director Caroline Hendrie emphasised that 'targeting women reporters with humiliating insults should not be tolerated'. She added a grave warning: 'When US leaders downplay the murder of a journalist or shame reporters for demanding transparency, it reverberates far beyond Washington.'
