Donald Trump told a female reporter to be “Quiet, Piggy” while she asked him a question about the Epstein files onboard Air Force One.
The commander-in-chief leaned forward to deliver the sinister remark, which he made in a cartoonish voice while wagging his finger.
The incident has gone viral, with users divided on what he actually said. It unfolded on Friday while Trump was jetting back to Washington, D.C.
Although the reporter’s identity remains unknown, The DailyTelegraph has reported that she worked for the media giant Bloomberg.
Before making his “piggy” remark, Trump told the reporter that he had a “very bad relationship” with Jeffrey Epstein before swiftly moving on to another question.
“If there’s nothing incriminating in the files, sir, why not…” the reporter began before Trump snapped.
“Quiet! Quiet, piggy,” he said in a sing-song voice, while jabbing his finger towards the reporter.
He then answered a question from another journalist about rising tensions with Venezuela.
“I sort of made up my mind, yeah,” he said, in an ominous comment about his plans for the South American country. “I can’t tell you what it would be, but I certainly have…”
Trump has been slammed for his comments, with one X user commenting, “this is the president of the United States who himself is overweight calling another person piggy.” That user attached a GIF of Muppet icon Miss Piggy with their post.
“Just imagine ANY OTHER President saying that to a female journalist in a gaggle,” another wrote.
The surreal exchange comes as Trump’s administration battles to stay ahead of the Epstein scandal. The House of Representatives is poised to vote on a bill forcing the release of the files related to the convicted sex offender on Tuesday.
However, even if the House passes the bill, the Republican-controlled Senate will need to vote on whether to release the files.
The scandal has shattered the president’s formerly rock-solid MAGA base, with former loyalist Marjorie Taylor Greene breaking with Trump in a shocking move.
In response, Trump has branded her a “traitor” and says that the files are a “Democrat hoax.” However, he surprised many on Capitol Hill when he suddenly reversed his long-held policy of ignoring the files and ordered House Republicans to vote in favor of their release.
He has claimed that the Republicans have “nothing to hide,” despite previously branding Greene, who says she will vote for the files’ release, as “wacky” and a “ranting Lunatic.” He also said that all she does is “COMPLAIN, COMPLAIN, COMPLAIN.”
So far, the House Oversight Committee has released a slew of emails from the files, several of which mention Trump.
One email claims that Trump “spent hours” at Epstein’s house with a sex trafficking victim, while another says that he “knew about the girls.”
Trump has long denied any wrongdoing in relation to the Epstein case, and there has been no evidence to suggest wrongdoing on his part.
The Independent has contacted the White House for comment.
