President Trump has been widely condemned online for telling a female reporter “quiet, piggy” in a video that went viral Monday.
The incident occurred while Trump was speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One last Friday. “I know nothing about that,” Trump said, when first asked what convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein meant when he wrote that the president “knew about the girls” in emails released by House Democrats last week. Trump went on to promise that Americans soon will find out everything Epstein knew about certain high-profile Democrats, including former president Bill Clinton.
“Jeffrey Epstein and I had a very bad relationship for many years,” Trump added. A female Bloomberg reporter tried to follow that initial question up by asking Trump, if there was nothing incriminating in the government’s Epstein Files, why he doesn’t just personally order their release. However, Trump interrupted her.
He leaned in, pointed a finger at the journalist and said, “Quiet. Quiet, piggy.” The president then swiftly moved on to answer a question from CBS News reporter Jennifer Jacobs, who reported on the incident on her X account Friday.
You can watch the heated interaction yourself in the video below.
“Quiet. Quiet, Piggy.”
— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) November 18, 2025
Trump completely loses it at a female reporter who asked about the Epstein files. What a disgusting man.
pic.twitter.com/dhS4IJ1KC6
Trump’s remark has prompted outrage online. CNN anchor Jake Tapper called the president’s behavior “disgusting and completely unacceptable,” while fellow CNN reporter Jim Sciutto mused about what would happen if someone had done what Trump did in any other civilized or professional space. “What would the consequences be in a company boardroom? A university? A church? A pro sports team? In any organization?” Sciutto asked.
Elsewhere, former ABC News Senior National Correspondent Terry Moran wrote about the incident on X, remarking, “When they go low, he goes lower,” in reference to one of former first lady Michelle Obama’s most famous and oft-quoted speeches. Others, meanwhile, questioned why none of the other journalists present on Air Force One Friday stood up for their female colleague.
You can check out more reactions to the incident below.
Saying "quiet piggy" to a female journalist tells us what we already know. https://t.co/rv0oVuHwKC
— Jessica Simor KC (@JMPSimor) November 18, 2025
Normally, I'd say this is disgusting and beneath the President of the United States.
— Joshua Reed Eakle 🗽 (@JoshEakle) November 18, 2025
But we all know at this point that nothing is beneath Trump, as he lives in the sewer. https://t.co/jnZYxV066v
This dude really said “quiet piggy” and the other reporters said nothing? What planet are we on? https://t.co/8bOv182yGG
— Justin Kanew (@Kanew) November 18, 2025
I grew up in a different media age where even if you were at competing media outlets, we were all considered a weird sort of fraternity. If anyone we covered would have done this, the other reporters would have been the first to say something. We live in some punk ass times. https://t.co/oJsxEx9BGW
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) November 18, 2025
No executive. No college president. No csuite leader. No industry leader could ever talk like this. Ever. And still hold his job. https://t.co/t42CUUxpq2
— Sophia A. Nelson (@IAmSophiaNelson) November 18, 2025
This is sick. And the fact that not one other reporter called him out on her behalf is even worse.
— Chris D. Jackson (@ChrisDJackson) November 18, 2025
Where the hell are you guys at? https://t.co/tpTlZ7wMRT
Completely unacceptable, but completely on brand. https://t.co/LKQd68lpRl
— Angry Staffer (@Angry_Staffer) November 18, 2025
