President Donald Trump is facing renewed attention after comments made to a reporter during a press briefing last Friday. The exchange took place aboard Air Force One, where journalists were asking the President questions about the ongoing controversy surrounding the Jeffrey Epstein files.
According to video and media reports, Bloomberg reporter Catherine Lucey asked a question related to Epstein. Before she could finish, the President pointed a finger in her direction and said, “Quiet, quiet piggy.” The moment was not captured on camera, but audio has since circulated widely online.
The comment came as pressure continues to build on the White House from both Democrats and Republicans. Lawmakers are calling for the full release of all investigative documents related to Epstein, the convicted sex offender who died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Some Republicans have pushed back against what they say are partisan motivations behind the renewed focus on the case, while others have joined in the call for transparency.
President Trump tells reporter, “Quiet. Quiet, Piggy.” pic.twitter.com/lJbBSJMeIW
— Leading Report (@LeadingReport) November 18, 2025
President Trump, who was known to have had contact with Epstein in the early 2000s before reportedly cutting ties, has maintained that Democrats are using the case as a political weapon. On Sunday, he repeated that message while speaking to reporters again, this time outside Air Force One. During that exchange, the President again clashed with Lucey, who had asked him a question about conservative commentator Tucker Carlson’s interview with white nationalist Nick Fuentes.
Trump attempted to respond but was interrupted. He then told Lucey, “You are the worst! You’re with Bloomberg, right? You are the worst! I don’t know why they even have you.”
Despite the tense moments, the President has shifted his position in recent days. While earlier in the month he said that only a “very bad, or stupid, Republican would fall into that trap,” referring to the effort to release Epstein-related documents, he has now said he supports the move.
Writing on Truth Social over the weekend, Trump stated, “We have nothing to hide,” and called for House Republicans to vote in favor of releasing the files. He also referred to the Epstein controversy as a “Democrat hoax” but added, “It’s time to move on.”
House Republicans have indicated that they will hold a vote on Tuesday to release all unclassified Epstein documents. If passed, the bill will move to the Senate and then to the President’s desk. Trump has said he will sign the bill into law, though he could also choose to issue an executive order to declassify the documents himself.
In a statement from the Oval Office on Monday, Trump told reporters, “We’ll give them everything… Let the Senate look at it, let anybody look at it.” He also said, “Don’t talk about it too much because honestly, I don’t want to take it away from us,” implying that the political focus on Epstein might distract from the Trump administration’s own agenda.
Meanwhile, the House Oversight Committee, led by Republicans, has already released more than 23,000 documents obtained from Epstein’s estate. These files include emails sent by Epstein in the months leading up to his death in a New York City jail. Some of these messages reference communications with high-profile figures, though many of the details remain redacted.
Trump’s recent statements mark a significant shift from his earlier resistance. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are now waiting to see whether his administration will follow through with full transparency or whether further conflict over the release of the files lies ahead.
