During a question about the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, President Donald Trump referred to a female reporter as ‘piggy’. Following the incident, on Thursday (20 November), the White House defended Trump, stating that the President’s remark reflected his directness and transparency.
The incident aboard Air Force One last week went viral. Recently released emails from Epstein suggested that Trump ‘knew about the girls’. In response to questions on this, Trump leaned towards the reporter, pointing his finger and said, ‘Shut up, piggy.’
White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt said that American voters had re-elected Trump for his straightforwardness. She added that the President’s openness in responding to reporters’ questions should be appreciated.
Leavitt further explained, ‘When he sees fake news, he calls it out and becomes frustrated with journalists spreading misinformation. Yet he has given unprecedented access to the press and answers questions almost daily.’
Trump has occasionally made similar remarks to reporters. Last Tuesday, he called another female reporter a ‘terrible person’ at the White House. The journalist had questioned him about Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in relation to the Jamal Khashoggi murder and why Epstein’s files were not released.
Meanwhile, Trump signed a law on Wednesday directing the US Justice Department to release long-standing investigation documents concerning Epstein, which had previously been blocked from public disclosure.
The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) issued a statement this week condemning Trump’s ‘demeaning language’ toward journalists. Executive Director Caroline Hendry said, ‘No one expects Presidents to be the biggest fans of reporters, but targeting female journalists with insulting language is unacceptable.’
Khaborwala/SS
