The Epstein files, for Trump, are a topic he has sought to avoid. Yet, with growing public interest, this approach has become unviable. On 14th November, Bloomberg reporter Catherine Lucey decided to seek answers from the President aboard Air Force One. As expected, Lucey’s questions went down like a lead balloon, invoking Trump’s usual ire. “Is there something incriminating in the files, sir?” Lucey asked. Quickly, he raised his pointed finger to her face, retorting, “Quiet, quiet piggy!”
Unsurprisingly, this revealing moment sparked media reaction. Journalist Gretchen Carlson described the remark as “disgusting and degrading,” while comedian Jimmy Kimmel playfully turned the insult against Trump. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the President, stating, “He calls out fake news when he sees it and gets frustrated with reporters who spread false information.”
Frustration is an explanation for the outburst, but the President’s pride has a bigger part to play. Since mid-2025, Trump has tried to convince his supporters that the Epstein files are nothing but a “Democrat hoax.”
Yet, mounting pressure to release the files has come from both the opposition and MAGA supporters. Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, long endorsed by Trump, voiced her disapproval for his lack of transparency surrounding the files, effectively ending their rapport. For a figure like Greene, a Trump loyalist, to break ranks is clear evidence that his Epstein narrative has effectively crumbled. For a President who loves to have total narrative control, this is a fierce blow to his fragile pride.
As expected, Greene’s betrayal has invoked Trump’s temper, branding her a “traitor.” Now, Greene has left Congress, stating, “I refuse to be a battered wife hoping it all goes away and gets better.” While Greene is no saint, her treatment is a continuation of that familiar, Trumpian ire.
His narrative is poignantly ironic, given that the Epstein files revolve around the exploitation and abuse of women. His approach to the scandal is not only avoidant but also underscored by an alleged history of misogyny and misconduct.
Catherine Lucey is one in a long line of women that Trump has called a pig. Rosie O’Donnell, comedian and critic of Trump, was branded a “fat pig” and a “disgusting animal” after calling him a “snake oil salesman.” Alicia Machado, competing in Trump’s Miss Universe pageant, was labelled “Miss Piggy” simply due to weight gain. Beyond that, there was the infamous “Grab ’em by the pu**y” comment, caught on tape in 2005. It’s clear from this track record that Trump has a dehumanising, sexist attitude towards women.
This attitude ultimately harms Trump’s Epstein narrative, because it exposes his misogynistic nature. It is deeply ironic that the same man who insists he has “nothing to hide” in relation to the files immediately resorts to mocking and dehumanising women. In a case that centres on the abuse faced by vulnerable women, Trump feels comfortable subjecting others to gendered contempt. His misogyny cannot be separated from the narrative; it is an integral part of his bristled reaction in the first place.
The most important voices, the survivors, have been trivialised. The late Virginia Giuffre, an outspoken victim of Epstein, was trafficked when she was working at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort. Referring to this, Trump claimed that Giuffre was “stolen,” equating her to a piece of property rather than a victim.
This self-centred framing was perfectly addressed by fellow survivor Jena-Lisa Jones, who directly addressed Trump and criticised his administration’s handling of the Epstein files. “I beg you, President Trump,” she said, “please stop making this political. It is not about you.”
Despite his initial opposition, Trump has now signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act, after a bipartisan vote in Congress. Of course, he couldn’t help but politicise this development via Truth Social, proclaiming “Perhaps the truth about these Democrats, and their associations with Jeffrey Epstein, will soon be revealed, because I HAVE JUST SIGNED THE BILL TO RELEASE THE EPSTEIN FILES!”
His statement is revealing. There is no mention of the victims anywhere. Instead, he has selfishly weaponised the announcement. Even as he signs a bill for transparency, he has effectively been forced to do so.
As a supposed crusader of truth, he has avoided honesty at every turn. Instead, he has attacked a female journalist asking a valid question, referred to Giuffre as property, and overshadowed victims’ voices. Trump has made himself the centre of the narrative.
It is this centring of Trump that has been insulting to the victims. Through his previous avoidance and sudden U-turn, he has undermined any integrity he has left. Alongside his egotistical approach, he has displeased his own party, bringing about a bipartisan consensus and leading to the passing of the act.
Even if Trump is proven innocent in the files, the damage has been done. His hostility, misogyny, and fixation on political enemies have shown he isn’t willing to give this historic moment the seriousness it demands. The issue here doesn’t revolve around the files’ contents, but rather the conduct of the man responding to them.
The “Quiet, piggy!” moment was never about one insult. It shows a deeper pattern: Trump is utterly incapable of handling serious allegations with the respect they deserve, instead resorting to insults, misogyny, and sudden U-turns. These instincts have shaped his entire handling of the Epstein scandal, turning what should have been a clear commitment to transparency into another battleground for his ego.
Words by Thomas Stanier
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