The president interrupted Bloomberg reporter Catherine Lucey on Air Force One, saying, "Quiet! Quiet, piggy," which drew immediate backlash. Some supporters tried to defend the remark by claiming he said "Peggy," but clearer footage and independent transcripts identify Lucey as the addressee. The White House criticized the reporter’s approach while a newsroom spokesperson defended its journalists. Even an AI account that initially repeated the "Peggy" theory later corrected itself after reviewing the evidence.
‘Peggy’ Defense Collapses After Trump’s ‘Quiet, Piggy’ Remark Targets Reporter
The president interrupted Bloomberg reporter Catherine Lucey on Air Force One, saying, "Quiet! Quiet, piggy," which drew immediate backlash. Some supporters tried to defend the remark by claiming he said "Peggy," but clearer footage and independent transcripts identify Lucey as the addressee. The White House criticized the reporter’s approach while a newsroom spokesperson defended its journalists. Even an AI account that initially repeated the "Peggy" theory later corrected itself after reviewing the evidence.
06:28 AM, 11/21/2025Politics
President Donald Trump interrupted a Bloomberg reporter aboard Air Force One, pointing and saying, "Quiet! Quiet, piggy," after she began asking about the release of the Epstein files. The exchange prompted swift criticism and a flurry of online debate over exactly what the president said and who he was addressing.
Supporters aligned with the president advanced a rapid defense claiming he had said the name "Peggy" rather than the insult many viewers heard. Some social posts suggested he was referring to a well-known columnist or a senior bureau chief named Peggy, arguing that audio was distorted or listeners were biased.
Others on social media dismissed critics as suffering from so-called "Trump Derangement Syndrome," while a subset of accounts doubled down on the "Peggy" theory—at times angrily correcting users who identified the reporter as Catherine Lucey.
A White House official criticized the reporter's approach on the plane, saying the exchange reflected unprofessional behavior toward colleagues and implying reporters should accept pushback if they ask tough questions. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the president’s style as straightforward and candid, framing it as characteristic of his public persona.
A spokesperson for the news outlet that employs the reporter pushed back, stressing that White House correspondents perform an essential public service by asking questions "without fear or favor" and that they remain committed to fair, accurate reporting.
As the debate unfolded, some supporters acknowledged a mistaken identity and suggested the president might have confused reporters. Even an AI-driven account that initially echoed the "Peggy" explanation revised its position after reviewing verified footage and independent transcripts, confirming that the president addressed Catherine Lucey and said "quiet, piggy."
What this means
The episode illustrates how quickly contested audio can produce competing narratives in partisan media ecosystems. In this case, multiple independent transcripts and clearer footage corroborated that Catherine Lucey was the target and that the phrase heard by many was the insulting term, not a name. The "Peggy" defense largely unraveled as evidence was reviewed.
Key quote: "You’ve all seen it yourself... I think it’s one of the many reasons that the American people reelected this president—because of his frankness," said Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt in defense of the president’s blunt manner.
The exchange adds to ongoing tensions between the White House and the press corps about tone, access, and what constitutes appropriate behavior from both reporters and the president.