Bill Maher slams Karoline Leavitt for defending Trump’s ‘piggy’ remark to reporter
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Following President Donald Trump’s "quiet piggy" remark against a female reporter for a question regarding Jeffrey Epstein, comedian Bill Maher has slammed the White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
During a press briefing, the 28-year-old defended the president’s comment, describing it as a matter of Trump’s frank and honest rhetoric that resonated with the voters.
Bill Maher tells Karoline Leavitt 'shut up, b***h'
Trump said to Mamdani today, "I don't understand Islam. Why wait for the afterlife to enjoy the 72 virgins? That's what Jeffrey Epsteins are for on Earth." pic.twitter.com/YcQPDl31ca
— Bill Maher (@billmaher) November 22, 2025
Bill Maher, in the latest episode of 'Real Time With Bill Maher', recounted how Donald Trump shouted “quiet, piggy” at a Bloomberg reporter asking questions about Jeffrey Epstein this week. He joked about how defensive the president gets when asked about the disgraced financier.
“At the press conference the next day, his press secretary Karoline Leavitt spun this by saying, ‘It’s actually admirable. It’s the president being frank and open, and honest. It’s actually good,’” Maher said.
Taking a page out of the White House’s book, Maher responded, “Well, in that case, ‘Shut up, b***h.”
Karoline Leavitt says everyone should appreciate Trump's frankness
Reporter: What did the president mean when he called the reporter piggy?
— Acyn (@Acyn) November 20, 2025
Leavitt: I think the president being frank and open and honest to your faces rather than hiding behind your backs is a lot more respectful than what you saw in the last administration pic.twitter.com/vOJX7gIB9s
The clip of the president telling Bloomberg journalist Catherine Lucey, "quiet, quiet piggy," and sticking his finger in her face drew strong criticism this week.
When asked about the incident by reporters at a White House press briefing, Leavitt said that Trump’s direct manner of speaking is partially what got him reelected.
“I think everyone in this room should appreciate the frankness and the openness that you get from President Trump on a nearly daily basis,” she told reporters.
Trump still defensive about Epstein files
This week, in a surprising move, Donald Trump changed his stance on releasing the criminal records tied to convicted offender Jeffrey Epstein after a bipartisan bill pushed for its release.
On Sunday, November 16, the president wrote on Truth Social that House Republicans should release all files about the disgraced financier because “we have nothing to hide.” On Wednesday, he signed the bill into law.
However, this legal shift doesn't appear to have eased the tension surrounding the topic, as Trump on Tuesday lashed out at ABC News reporter Mary Bruce when she asked about the same topic.
“You are a terrible reporter,” Trump responded. “You start off with a man who is highly respected, asking him a horrible, insubordinate, and just a terrible question.”
“Trump is very touchy about the Epstein thing,” Maher said, highlighting that Trump, despite appearing to finally give up to public pressure around Epstein, is not at all thrilled about it.
