White House Defends President Trump's 'Piggy' Remark to Reporter

During a press briefing on Thursday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended President Donald Trump's recent remark to a female reporter, where he referred to her as "piggy." Leavitt stated that the president's candidness is a key reason for his re-election, emphasizing his transparency and frequent engagement with the press.

The incident occurred aboard Air Force One last Friday when Bloomberg News correspondent Catherine Lucey questioned President Trump about the release of Jeffrey Epstein-related files. As Lucey began her question, Trump interrupted, saying, "Quiet. Quiet, piggy."

Leavitt addressed the incident by highlighting the president's straightforwardness. She remarked that Trump's openness is more respectful compared to previous administrations, where interactions with the press were less frequent.

The Society of Professional Journalists condemned the president's language, noting his history of using demeaning terms toward female journalists. They emphasized that while adversarial relationships with the press are not unusual for presidents, sexist insults should not be acceptable.

This incident is part of a broader pattern of contentious interactions between President Trump and the media. Earlier this week, during an Oval Office meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Trump called ABC News correspondent Mary Bruce a "terrible person" after she questioned him about the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and the Epstein files.