Overview
- Aboard Air Force One on Nov. 14, Trump told Bloomberg reporter Catherine Lucey, “Quiet, piggy,” after she pressed him about Epstein-related records, a clip that later went viral.
- During an Oval Office exchange on Nov. 18, Trump called ABC’s Mary Bruce “a terrible reporter” after questions about Jamal Khashoggi and the Epstein files, and he suggested regulators review ABC’s broadcast license.
- Press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the president’s language as evidence of his blunt, transparent style, while a White House official accused Lucey of unprofessional behavior without offering evidence.
- Trump signed legislation ordering the Justice Department to release long-withheld Epstein investigation documents following congressional action to force disclosure.
- Journalist groups and outlets condemned the insults, with the Society of Professional Journalists citing a pattern targeting women and Bloomberg publicly backing its reporter.