Former President Donald Trump intensified his feud with the press during an exchange aboard Air Force One, telling a female reporter, “Quiet, piggy,” when she attempted to ask about recently discussed Jeffrey Epstein files.
The remark, directed at Bloomberg’s Catherine Lucey, occurred several days ago but surfaced on social media on Tuesday. As Lucey began asking why Trump was reacting so defensively “if there’s nothing incriminating in the files,” Trump pointed at her and snapped, “Quiet. Quiet, piggy.”
CNN anchor Jake Tapper condemned the comment as “disgusting and completely unacceptable,” while former Fox News host Gretchen Carlson called it “degrading.”
Trump’s clashes with women journalists continued when he threatened ABC’s broadcast license after reporter Mary Bruce questioned whether the Trump family business’s dealings with Saudi entities posed a conflict of interest. Bruce also raised the issue of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s alleged involvement in the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
During the crown prince’s White House visit, Bruce asked him, “US intelligence concluded that you orchestrated the brutal murder of a journalist, 9/11 families are furious that you are here in the Oval Office. Why should Americans trust you?”
Trump interjected sharply, dismissing ABC as “fake news” and “one of the worst in the business.”
He also insisted he has “nothing to do” with the Trump Organization—now run by his two eldest sons—and pointed to its newly announced deal with a Saudi developer for a Maldives resort. Trump then scolded Bruce, saying, “You don’t have to embarrass our guest by asking a question like that.”
Tensions escalated further when Bruce pressed him on Epstein, as Congress voted to release files related to the late financier, who died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial.
Trump retorted, “It’s not the question that I mind. It’s your attitude. I think you are a terrible reporter.”
