‘Quiet, piggy’: Trump escalates attacks on women reporters over Khashoggi and Epstein questions

US President Donald Trump (Photo: AFP)

US President Donald Trump berated Mary Bruce, ABC News’s chief White House correspondent, in an unusually tense exchange on Tuesday after she questioned Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman about the 2018 killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. The Oval Office meeting marked the crown prince’s first US visit since Khashoggi was murdered inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul — an event that global intelligence agencies, including the US, have linked directly to the prince, the New York Times reported.

When Bruce asked the prince whether he bore responsibility for the killing, Trump intervened sharply, rebuking her for posing what he called “a horrible, insubordinate” question. “You don’t have to embarrass our guest,” he said, claiming that “a lot of people didn’t like that gentleman,” a remark that minimised the nature of Khashoggi’s death and quickly drew criticism from press-freedom groups.

Escalating attacks on ABC and threats to revoke licenses

Trump’s irritation did not stop at Bruce. He turned his fire toward ABC News itself, calling it “a crappy company” and suggesting its broadcast license should be revoked. He argued that Brendan Carr — the official overseeing broadcast regulation — “should look at that.” Carr, who has aligned with Trump in previous disputes with the media, has already reposted presidential attacks on networks on social media, raising questions about regulatory independence.

The president’s remarks came amid a pattern of increasingly personal clashes with journalists, particularly women. ABC News declined to comment on the insults directed at its senior correspondent, but the episode adds to a growing list of confrontations between Trump and the network. Last year, ABC paid $16 million to settle a defamation suit Trump brought over a segment he claimed was inaccurate. He has since repeatedly threatened to punish the network for its coverage.

An exchange that reopened long-standing tensions

According to reporters in the room, Trump appeared visibly irritated even before Bruce’s first question. When she later asked why he had not ordered the release of documents tied to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, Trump cut her off again, saying: “It’s not the question that I mind; it’s your attitude.” He ended the exchange by calling her “a terrible person and a terrible reporter,” adding that she would not be allowed to ask further questions.

The episode echoed comments he made days earlier on Air Force One when he told a Bloomberg News reporter, “Quiet, piggy,” after she attempted to ask about the Epstein files. Trump has used similar insults in the past, including referring to former Miss Universe Alicia Machado as “Miss Piggy.” Bloomberg News defended its reporter, calling journalists’ work “a vital public service.”

Press-freedom advocates warn of dangerous implications

The US National Press Club condemned Trump’s remarks, saying that minimising Khashoggi’s murder — an act the club described as a direct assault on press freedom — could have “real-world consequences” by signalling tolerance for violence against journalists. Khashoggi’s death

remains one of the most politically sensitive episodes in US-Saudi relations, and Trump’s attempt to downplay the killing drew renewed scrutiny at a moment when the crown prince is seeking to reassert himself on the world stage.

Trump’s criticism also raised concerns about selective pressure on media outlets. Over the weekend, he attacked NBC host Seth Meyers on Truth Social, urging NBC to fire him “IMMEDIATELY” and accusing him of suffering from “Trump Derangement Syndrome.” Carr, the broadcast regulator, amplified the message online, intensifying debates over political influence in licensing decisions.

A reflection of Trump’s fraught relationship with the media

Despite his confrontational style, Trump remains one of the most accessible presidents to the press, often taking multiple rounds of questions a day. Yet the encounters frequently devolve into personal clashes, with women journalists experiencing some of the harshest attacks. The latest episode underscores how press briefings, once routine exchanges, have become unpredictable and sometimes hostile under Trump’s presidency.

By the end of Tuesday’s meeting, the president made clear he was done engaging with Bruce. “You ought to go back and learn how to be a reporter,” he said. “No more questions from you.”