President Donald Trump has once again found himself at the center of a media storm after insulting a reporter with a sexist remark that has been described as "disgusting" by colleagues in the field, political analysts, and social media users.
“Silence, silence, little pig”, the president snapped at journalist Catherine Lucey aboard Air Force One, when she questioned him about the case of convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
The insult not only reignites the allegations of misogyny that have surrounded the president for years, but it has also sparked a wave of outrage both in the United States and abroad, especially among those who advocate for press freedom and the right of women to engage in journalism without being demeaned because of their gender.
A question about Epstein, a viral insult
Everything began on Friday aboard the presidential plane. Catherine Lucey, Bloomberg's White House correspondent, asked Trump why, if the recently declassified documents regarding the Epstein case did not incriminate him, he had been so reluctant to make them public.
The journalist insisted on getting a clarification when the president turned to her, pointed at her with his finger, and said: "Silence. Silence, little pig."
Although the scene did not generate much attention at the time, a video of the incident went viral on social media this Tuesday, triggering a wave of critical reactions.
The comment quickly became a trending topic. Users shared images of Trump depicted as a pig and demanded respect for women journalists.
California Governor Gavin Newsom joined the condemnation with a post that mimicked the style of the viral provocations often used by Trump on the internet.
The Weight of Insult: Symbolic Violence Against Women Journalists
For many voices in the guild and feminist activism, this is a personal, misogynistic, and deliberate attack.
Jake Tapper, one of the star anchors of CNN, described the incident as “disgusting and completely unacceptable.”
Gretchen Carlson, former presenter of Fox News and activist against harassment in the media, described it as "degrading."
Bloomberg issued a statement supporting its journalist: “Our White House journalists perform a vital public service, asking questions without fear or favoritism. We remain focused on reporting on matters of public interest fairly and accurately.”
However, the White House did not issue an apology.
Media reports indicate that an official claimed the journalist had behaved "inappropriately."
"If you are going to give it, you have to be able to receive it," was the succinct and challenging official response.
It was not specified what the professional misconduct attributed to Lucey consisted of.
A pattern of sexist attacks
This is not an isolated episode. Donald Trump's history includes a long list of verbal attacks against female journalists.
In 2018, the International Women's Media Foundation had already reported on the "derogatory language used by the president against journalists of color."
That same year, Trump interrupted reporter Yamiche Alcindor during a press conference about COVID-19 and told her, "Be nice, don't be threatening."
During his first presidential campaign, when journalist Megyn Kelly asked him about his insults towards women, Trump replied that he had only used them against Rosie O’Donnell.
In 1996, he referred to the then Miss Universe Alicia Machado as "Miss Piggy"; and in 2006, he labeled comedian Rosie O'Donnell as a "fat pig."
Epstein and the Shadows That Do Not Disappear
All this exchange took place in the context of the declassification of new documents related to Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted financier for sex trafficking of minors, whose death in prison has been surrounded by controversy.
In the recently unveiled emails, Epstein referred to Trump as someone "dangerous" and claimed that "he knew about the girls."
However, the president has assured that he is not aware of these messages and has redirected attention to other individuals mentioned, such as former President Bill Clinton.
The question that Catherine Lucey attempted to pose got to the heart of the matter: if Trump had nothing to fear, why was he delaying the full release of the documents?
The scandal has transcended the media sphere. Political figures, academics, and activists have joined the criticisms.
Numerous commentators have emphasized that, beyond the offensive language of Trump, the silence of his male colleagues aboard Air Force One is even more concerning, as none of them publicly came to Lucey's defense at the time of the offense.
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