White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defends Trump calling reporter ‘piggy,’ cites his ‘frankness’ and transparency
-Reuters
The White House defended President Donald Trump on Thursday after he referred to Bloomberg News correspondent Catherine Lucey as “piggy” during questioning aboard Air Force One last week, framing the comment as a reflection of the president’s bluntness and openness.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Trump “is very frank and honest with everyone in this room” and that, while he sometimes “gets frustrated with reporters,” he is “the most transparent President in history.”
Leavitt highlighted that Trump speaks to the press nearly every day, a level of access she contrasted with Democratic President Joe Biden’s less frequent briefings.
“He also provides unprecedented access to the press and answers questions on a near-daily basis,” Leavitt said. “Reporters should appreciate the frankness and the openness that you get from President Trump.”
Q: What did the president mean when he called a reporter "piggy"?
LEAVITT: Look, the president is very frank & honest with everyone in this room. You'll all seen it yourself. You've all experienced it yourselves. And I think it's one of the many reasons the American people… pic.twitter.com/zgEONn3e5vThe comment, made last Friday as Lucey pressed Trump about newly released documents from the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, went viral after he leaned toward the reporter, pointed a finger, and said: “Quiet. Quiet, piggy.”
The incident follows another confrontation on Tuesday when Trump called ABC News correspondent Mary Bruce “a terrible person” during a question about Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the delayed release of the Epstein files.
Journalists and advocacy groups condemned Trump’s language. The Society of Professional Journalists described the remarks as part of “an unmistakable pattern of hostility, often directed at women, that undermines the essential role of a free and independent press.”
SPJ executive director Caroline Hendrie added, “Targeting women reporters with humiliating insults should not be tolerated. When leaders shame journalists for demanding transparency, it signals how little we value free expression.”
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