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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Tom Murray

Jimmy Kimmel blasts Trump over ‘quiet, piggy’ outburst aimed at female reporter

In his Tuesday night monologue, Jimmy Kimmel addressed the viral incident where President Donald Trump told a female journalist aboard Air Force One, “Quiet, piggy.”

Trump was being quizzed about his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein by a reporter from Bloomberg when he appeared to make the insulting remark.

“Trump is not a happy little meal right now,“ Kimmel said Tuesday. “Every time he gets asked about Jeffrey Epstein, he loses his mind.”

Kimmel then played the clip of the commander-in-chief leaning forward to deliver the insult while wagging his finger at the reporter.

“He called her piggy,” Kimmel said in disbelief. “He said ‘Quiet, piggy’ to a reporter and it barely made the news.

Trump appeared to tell a female reporter, ‘Quiet, piggy,’ on Air Force One last week (REUTERS)

“If a man spoke like that to a female coworker in a workplace harassment training video, you’d go, ‘Ah, that’s over the top. Nobody would do that,’” Kimmel joked.

The late-night host added, “If the pilot on Air Force One behaved like the president, he wouldn’t be allowed to fly the plane.”

The Air Force One incident occurred Friday, but did not gain much traction until Tuesday as clips of the moment circulated on social media.

“Our White House journalists perform a vital public service, asking questions without fear or favor,” a Bloomberg spokesperson told The Guardian. “We remain focused on reporting issues of public interest fairly and accurately.”

A White House official told The Independent that the reporter “behaved in an inappropriate and unprofessional way towards her colleagues on the plane.” The official did not explain what the behavior was.

“If you’re going to give it, you have to be able to take,” the official added.

On Tuesday, Trump went on to rage at a female ABC News reporter for her “attitude” after she asked about his family’s business in Saudi Arabia and the Epstein files.

“It’s not the question that I mind. It’s your attitude,” Trump told ABC News’ Chief White House Correspondent Mary Bruce, as members of the press gathered to cover the president’s meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Oval Office.

“ABC, your crappy company, is one of the perpetrators... I think the license should be taken away from ABC because your news is so fake and it’s so wrong,” Trump said.

“I think the license should be taken away from ABC, because your news is so fake and it’s so wrong, and we have a great commissioner, chairman, who should look at that,” Trump added, appearing to refer to Federal Communications Commission Chair, Brendan Carr.

Responding to Trump’s threat to have Carr “look” into ABC, Kimmel replied, “I don’t know, the last time your FCC guy looked at that didn’t go so great for you.”

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