Overview
- Footage from a Nov. 14 press gaggle shows President Trump saying “Quiet, quiet piggy” to Catherine Lucey as she questioned him aboard Air Force One en route from Washington, D.C., to Mar-a-Lago.
- Her questions focused on the newly released Epstein documents, including an email referencing “You knew about the girls,” which Trump denied knowing about while asserting he had a very bad relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.
- The full or cleaner recording, released Monday, accelerated attention on Tuesday, prompting widespread criticism from journalists such as CNN’s Jake Tapper and former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson.
- The White House issued a statement defending the exchange, alleging the reporter acted inappropriately toward colleagues and adding, “If you’re going to give it, you have to be able to take,” without specifying what conduct it meant.
- During the exchange, Trump redirected to other topics after the remark, reiterating his denials and steering attention to figures he said Epstein spent time with, including Bill Clinton and Larry Summers.