White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has defended President Donald Trump's reference to a Bloomberg News correspondent as a 'piggy', claiming without evidence that the president 'calls out fake news when he sees it and gets frustrated with reporters who spread false information'. Leavitt made the remarks during a Thursday briefing, adding that Trump was re-elected because of his bluntness and that members of the media should appreciate his willingness to answer questions.
The clash took place on Air Force One when Catherine Lucey, Bloomberg's White House correspondent, asked a question about the Epstein scandal. When Lucey pressed on why Trump was behaving a certain way 'if there's nothing incriminating in the files', Trump pointed at her and said: 'Quiet. Quiet, piggy.' Leavitt did not specify what 'fake news' or 'false information' Trump was responding to.
The insult drew widespread condemnation from journalists. CNN anchor Jake Tapper called the comment 'disgusting and completely unacceptable' on social media, while former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson labelled it 'disgusting and degrading'. The incident follows Trump's earlier attack on ABC News reporter Mary Bruce, whom he called 'a terrible person' in the Oval Office after she asked about the Epstein files and the killing of Jamal Khashoggi.
The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) issued a statement condemning both incidents, saying they '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' and warned that such actions 'reverberate far beyond Washington'.
