President Donald Trump sparked backlash after telling a female reporter quiet, piggy during a press gaggle aboard Air Force One. The exchange happened when the journalist tried to question him about the status of the Jeffrey Epstein files, prompting Trump to cut her off and gesture toward another reporter while repeating the insult. Lawmakers and commentators from both major parties criticized the remark as unprofessional, with groups like Occupy Democrats saying it reflected poorly on someone holding the presidency. This is not the first time Trump has clashed with female reporters, he previously told one to keep her voice down during a White House briefing in 2020. The confrontation comes as pressure builds on the administration to release Epstein-related documents. The House is set to vote on legislation requiring the Justice Department to make the files public, and Trump has said he would sign the bill if it reaches his desk. The documents have drawn renewed attention after a congressional committee released thousands of pages showing Epsteins network of contacts, which included global figures and Trump himself. Trump insists he distanced himself from Epstein long before the financiers legal troubles. If Congress approves the bill, the DOJ would have 30 days to publish the material in a searchable format. Certain details involving victims or ongoing investigations could be redacted, but the law would forbid hiding information simply because it might cause embarrassment or reputational harm. Trumps piggy comment fits into a long pattern of gendered insults he has used in the past, including calling Rosie ODonnell a fat pig and Miss Universe winner Alicia Machado Miss Piggy. Machado has described how Trump mocked her appearance during his time co-owning the pageant. In recent days Trump has publicly shifted how he talks about the files, at first labeling the issue a Democrat hoax on Truth Social but later saying he supports full release: We have nothing to hide. Reporters have continued pressing him for specifics, and he has grown increasingly combative, accusing journalists of peddling fake news when questioned about transparency or other controversies. The identity of the reporter he insulted on Air Force One has not been officially confirmed.
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