Trump called Bloomberg reporter “Piggy” after she pressed him on Epstein files

President Donald Trump is drawing widespread criticism after lashing out at a female reporter who was pressing for information about files related to Jeffrey Epstein.

As Trump was speaking to reporters Friday on Air Force One, Bloomberg White House correspondent and former Philadelphia Daily News reporter Catherine Lucey attempted to ask him about the release of the so-called Epstein files, which the Trump administration has refused to make public.

“If there is nothing incriminating in the files —” Lucey said before being cut off.

“Quiet, quiet, piggy,” an angry Trump shot back while pointing at Lucey.

Neither Lucey nor Bloomberg has responded to The Inquirer’s requests for comment.

“Our White House journalists perform a vital public service, asking questions without fear or favor,” Bloomberg said in a statement to the Guardian. “We remain focused on reporting issues of public interest fairly and accurately.”

Lucey, who has not spoken publicly about the matter, was first identified by the Guardian and can be seen in photographs of the interaction with Trump on Air Force One.

Trump’s remarks drew criticism from across the media world. CNN anchor Jake Tapper called the president’s remarks “disgusting and completely unacceptable.” Former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson called the president’s comments “degrading.”

“The president continues to behave in ways that not a single parent I know would tolerate from their elementary-school-aged kids,” wrote the Atlantic’s McKay Coppins.

A White House official defended the remark in a statement to MSNBC’s Vaughn Hillyard, claiming without evidence Lucey “behaved in an inappropriate and unprofessional way towards her colleagues on the plane.” The official did not elaborate.

Though the exchange took place days ago, video footage began circulating Tuesday ahead of a House vote on the Epstein files. It has since gone viral, drawing ire from critics and being reposted by outlets like Pop Crave.

Trump has a history of making sexist comments toward female journalists. He has called women in the press corps “nasty,” “crazy,” and “losers” over the years. He also has used derogatory language about women, comparing them to pigs, dogs and other animals.

Before her time in Washington, Lucey was a respected reporter in Philadelphia, spending 12 years at the Philadelphia Daily News covering everything from police corruption to local news, but her sweet spot was politics. Her portfolio included coverage of then-Mayor Michael Nutter’s administration and the city’s changing power dynamics.

Lucey left in 2012 to work for the Associated Press, focusing on Iowa state politics and presidential races for four years. From there, she headed to the Wall Street Journal, where she covered the Trump and Biden administrations. She joined Bloomberg in March, according to a news release.

Trump also drew criticism Tuesday afternoon after lashing out at ABC News reporter Mary Bruce, who also asked about the Epstein files during an Oval Office meeting between the president and Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

“Why wait for Congress to release the Epstein files?” Bruce asked. “Why not just do it now?”

“It’s not the question that I mind, it’s your attitude,” Trump shot back. “You’re a terrible person and a terrible reporter.”

Until recently, Trump had strongly opposed efforts to release the Epstein files. Last week, he called the House’s efforts to press the Department of Justice to make the files available a “Democrat hoax.”

Trump’s social connections to Epstein have been known for decades. Reports show Trump was mentioned in Epstein’s emails more than 1,000 times, making him the most-cited person in the documents released last week by the House Oversight Committee.

But Trump has been reversing his stance on releasing the files, saying on Air Force One, “we have nothing to hide.”

On Tuesday, the House of Representatives passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act in a 427-1 vote, demanding the Justice Department release the unclassified documents on Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted of sex trafficking.

The Republican-controlled Senate moved quickly Tuesday evening, agreeing to pass the Epstein bill by unanimous consent once it arrived from the House.

The bill would then head to Trump’s desk, who said in recent days he would sign it into law.

The incident aboard Air Force One occurred during what was initially a routine gaggle with reporters traveling with the president. The exchange illustrated the tension between Trump and journalists covering the Epstein story, which has drawn intense scrutiny of the president’s past associations with the convicted sex offender.

The White House’s defense of Trump’s remarks, claiming without evidence that Lucey behaved inappropriately toward colleagues, represents an attempt to justify the president’s language by shifting blame to the reporter. The lack of elaboration on what allegedly inappropriate behavior occurred leaves the claim unsubstantiated.

The timing of the video’s circulation, emerging publicly days after the incident but gaining traction ahead of the House vote on the Epstein transparency legislation, amplified attention to Trump’s treatment of reporters asking about Epstein. The viral spread across social media and major outlets brought the exchange to a wider audience beyond the White House press corps.

Media criticism of Trump’s language came from across the political spectrum. Tapper’s characterization of the remarks as “disgusting and completely unacceptable” and Carlson’s description of them as “degrading” reflected concerns that transcended partisan divides. Coppins’s comparison to behavior parents would not accept from elementary school children framed the president’s conduct as beneath basic standards of civility.

The pattern of Trump’s derogatory comments toward female journalists, documented over years, provides context for understanding the “piggy” remark as part of a broader approach to dealing with critical questioning from women reporters. The use of animal comparisons, including pigs and dogs, represents a specific type of gendered insult.

Lucey’s professional background, including 12 years covering Philadelphia politics and subsequent positions at the Associated Press, Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg, establishes her credentials as an experienced political reporter. Her coverage of mayoral administrations, state politics and presidential campaigns provided the foundation for her current role as White House correspondent.

The dual incidents on the same day, with both Lucey and Bruce facing personal attacks for asking about Epstein files, demonstrate a concentrated response to journalistic inquiry on the topic. Trump’s characterization of Bruce as a “terrible person and a terrible reporter” employed similar tactics of personal attacks rather than engaging with the substance of questions.

The evolution of Trump’s position on Epstein file release, from characterizing Congressional efforts as a “Democrat hoax” to stating “we have nothing to hide” and pledging to sign the transparency legislation, reflects shifting political calculations. The House’s overwhelming 427-1 vote and Senate’s unanimous consent passage created political pressure that made opposition untenable.

Trump’s prominence in the released Epstein documents, mentioned more than 1,000 times according to reports, making him the most-cited person in materials from the House Oversight Committee, helps explain the sensitivity around questions regarding the files. The frequency of references suggests extensive communication or contact documented in Epstein’s records.

The decades-long knowledge of Trump’s social connections to Epstein, now supplemented by documentary evidence from emails and other materials, forms the backdrop for current scrutiny. The historical relationship, combined with new documentary revelations, makes questions about the files particularly pointed for the president.

The Senate’s rapid action following House passage, moving to unanimous consent approval the same evening, demonstrated bipartisan support for transparency that left Trump with limited options beyond signing the legislation as he pledged to do. The swift Congressional action foreclosed any attempt to delay or derail the bill’s path to his desk.

cnn/inquirer.com