President Donald Trump is facing widespread condemnation after referring to a female Bloomberg News reporter as "piggy" during a confrontation aboard Air Force One last Friday.
The Air Force One confrontation
The incident occurred on 14th November 2025 when Catherine Lucey, Bloomberg's White House correspondent, took advantage of a press opportunity known as a "gaggle" to question the president about the unfolding Jeffrey Epstein scandal.
As Lucey began asking why Trump was behaving in a particular manner "if there's nothing incriminating in the files" regarding the House vote to release all documents related to the Epstein case, the president pointed at her and said: "Quiet. Quiet, piggy."
Although the remark initially received little attention, it gained traction on Tuesday and has since drawn significant backlash from fellow journalists, including several who have previously been targeted by Trump themselves.
Journalists and organisations react
CBS News reporter Jennifer Jacobs first broke the story that Trump had called a Bloomberg News reporter "piggy," though she didn't initially specify which journalist was targeted.
CNN anchor Jake Tapper described the incident as "disgusting and completely unacceptable" in a post on X, sharing a clip of the confrontation. Former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson echoed these sentiments, calling the remark "disgusting and degrading."
When approached for comment about the incident, Lucey directed The Guardian to a spokesperson for Bloomberg News. Multiple representatives for the news organisation did not respond to requests for comment.
The White House Correspondents' Association, which has previously released statements defending journalists facing attacks from Trump, also did not respond to requests for comment on this latest incident.
A pattern of behaviour
This type of insult is familiar territory for Trump. Alicia Machado, who won the Miss Universe pageant in 1996 when Trump owned the organisation, has stated that the president once called her "Miss Piggy" and instructed her to lose weight.
In 2018, longtime White House correspondent April Ryan was referred to as "Miss Piggy" by Trump administration official Lynne Patton, though Patton later apologised for the remark. That same year, Trump himself called Ryan a "loser" who "doesn't know what the hell she's doing."
In an interview with The Guardian, Ryan stated that Trump's attack on the Bloomberg reporter was beneath the dignity of the presidency.
"The president of the United States is supposed to be the moral leader, the leader of the country, and he's acting like some thug on the street," she said. "It's one thing for his minions to say that, but for him to call a woman that? That also shows how upset he is about the Epstein files. It lets us know that there's probably some fire there."
Ryan also encouraged Lucey to continue asking tough questions, stating: "She did the right thing by asking, and he wanted to intimidate her, and I pray that she fights on."
Broader implications for women in journalism
In 2018, the International Women's Media Foundation (IWMF) called on the White House to be more respectful toward female journalists, specifically referencing "recent demeaning language from the President against female journalists of colour."
Elisa Lees Muñoz, IWMF's executive director, told The Guardian that Trump's "piggy" remark represents more of the same pattern of behaviour.
"President Trump's targeting of women journalists is nothing new," she said. "His appearance-based insults are gendered attacks meant to shut women journalists up. While name calling may seem harmless, coming from the head of our government, it often sets in motion a torrent of abuse towards the journalist, which not only impacts her ability to work, but also sends a chilling message to other women journalists who are confronting him with hard-hitting questions."
When asked for comment about Trump's insult, a White House official shifted blame to Lucey, claiming without evidence that "This reporter behaved in an inappropriate and unprofessional way towards her colleagues on the plane." The official added: "If you're going to give it, you have to be able to take."
The White House did not respond when asked to specify what exactly the reporter had done that was inappropriate.
