The White House on Tuesday defended President Donald Trump’s “Quiet, piggy” insult to a reporter after she asked him about the Jeffrey Epstein files.
“This reporter behaved in an inappropriate and unprofessional way toward her colleagues on the plane,” an official said in a statement. “If you’re going to give it, you have to be able to take.”
The verbal abuse against Bloomberg White House correspondent Catherine Lucey on Air Force One on Friday wasn’t included in the press pool report but became viral fodder this week. It drew criticism from many.
However, HuffPost reported that the reaction from the White House press corps has been muted “in an apparent attempt to avoid losing further access.”
Lucey’s own outlet issued a reaction with a hint of defiance. “Our White House journalists perform a vital public service, asking questions without fear or favor,” a Bloomberg News spokesperson said. “We remain focused on reporting issues of public interest fairly and accurately.”
During a mid-flight gaggle, Lucey asked the president, “If there’s nothing incriminating in the files, sir, why not—”
“Quiet! Quiet, piggy,” he snapped, pointing his finger at her.
Trump constantly belittles reporters, but the intensely personal name-calling struck a nerve. Reporters jostling to have their questions heard is pretty routine.
The Daily Beast pointed out that pig barbs have been a go-to for Trump in demeaning women. In 2017, New York Times columnist Gail Collins recalled that Trump told her she had “the face of a pig.” In 2016, former Miss Universe Alicia Machado revealed that Trump called her “Miss Piggy” when he owned the pageant. Trump has also called Rosie O’Donnell a “pig.”