A video of U.S. President Donald Trump telling a reporter aboard Air Force One, his presidential jet, "Be quiet, pig," has been released, drawing fierce criticism across American society. It is not the first time Trump has used aggressive language toward the press, but this video spread quickly even without media amplification and, according to some assessments, sparked more anger than usual.
According to an analysis by the Guardian on the 19th (local time), the scene in question occurred as Bloomberg reporter Catherine Lucey was asking President Trump why he opposed releasing documents related to Epstein. Before the question was finished, Trump pointed his finger at the reporter and said, "Pig, be quiet," and the video spread on social media (SNS), racking up millions of views. Prominent online figures, including popular YouTuber Hank Green, also criticized it, saying, "Among countless insults, this remark is especially hard to stomach."
The surge of anger is particularly strong because the video's release coincided with the moment's broader circumstances. Recently, Trump has suffered a string of political blows: a midterm election loss, Republican gridlock in shutdown talks, and economic turmoil. Experts said the outburst showed the irritation and overreaction of a president under siege. Because the Epstein-related documents released by Congress indicate that Epstein communicated in a demeaning way about various figures and women, the scene of using a derogatory slur toward a female reporter triggered even greater public outrage.
Around the same time, Trump also fueled controversy by dressing down another female reporter, telling her not to ask about Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the Khashoggi assassination. With the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) having concluded that Khashoggi was killed on the crown prince's orders, the president's response drew even more criticism. In media circles, concerns emerged that "a hostile pattern targeting female reporters is being repeated." Expert groups also issued statements saying, "This incident is not an isolated case but part of a long-term offensive that undermines the basic function of the press."
The White House instead tried to justify the remark by faulting Lucey for "unprofessional conduct on the plane." It offered no concrete basis but argued that "reporters must be held accountable" as well. However, political and media circles pointed out that this response only served to inflame the controversy.
The video rapidly spread within the SNS-based liberal camp and became a new kind of pressure tactic. California Gov. Gavin Newsom's team repeatedly shared the phrase "Be quiet, pig" alongside an image that morphed Trump's face into a pig, while Democratic digital strategists said, "The era when SNS virality drives the news cycle is now."
Commentators said, "In a second Trump term, with the media's checking function weakened, this video will be recorded as an incident that sparked symbolic anger."