President Donald Trump has come under a lot of fire for saying ‘quiet piggy’ to a Bloomberg reporter aboard Air Force One, when asked about the Epstein files. The incident took place on Monday, and the reporter has now been identified as Catherine Lucey, Bloomberg's White House correspondent.
However, many of Trump's supporters had already jumped to his defense and claimed that the POTUS was saying ‘Peggy’.
What Trump told the Bloomberg reporter
Lucey appeared to ask Trump about the ongoing controversy over the Jeffrey Epstein files and the possibility of the House voting to release it. The reporter also seemed to cut off the President's answer asking “if there’s nothing incriminating in the files...”. However, Trump cut her short in turn, and said “Quiet. Quiet, piggy.”
Also | What is 'Miss Piggy'? Trump's old remark surfaces after barb at Bloomberg reporter
What people online are claiming
Several claims have been made online about Trump saying ‘Peggy’ not ‘piggy’.
{{/usCountry}}Several claims have been made online about Trump saying ‘Peggy’ not ‘piggy’.
{{/usCountry}}"Trump critics are claiming the President called reporter Peggy Collins "piggy." Audio clearly shows he said "Quiet, Peggy," her actual name," a page claimed.
Another add: “'Quiet Piggy!' Would be epic, but unfortunately, Trump said, ‘Quiet PEGGY’.” Yet another profile claimed, “Trump first says ‘yeah, go ahead Jennifer’ and then another woman named Peggy talks over Jennifer, and Trump says 'quiet Peggy.' That’s what I hear.”
As per Bloomberg author profiles, Margaret Collins, known as Peggy, is the Washington bureau chief and executive editor of U.S. economy and government coverage for Bloomberg News.
However, she was not onboard Air Force One, and it was Catherine Lucey who was on the receiving end of President Trump's remarks, as per multiple reports.
Meanwhile, the White House appears to be defending Trump's remarks. “This reporter behaved in an inappropriate and unprofessional way towards her colleagues on the plane. If you’re going to give it, you have to be able to take,” a White House official told People. A Bloomberg representative, meanwhile, told The Guardian “Our White House journalists perform a vital public service, asking questions without fear or favor. We remain focused on reporting issues of public interest fairly and accurately.”