Jim Acosta urges mainstream media to take 'collective action' against Trump’s attacks on reporters

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Jim Acosta, a former CNN White House correspondent, is pushing back against Donald Trump’s recent remarks about reporters. He has called on major media organizations to take “collective action” and “stand up for decency.”

He said he was disturbed by Trump’s “quiet piggy” comment. Trump has previously called a reporter “ugly” and has often labeled several news outlets as “fake news.”

The White House has also introduced a new section on its website called “Media Offender of the Week.” The page, titled “Misleading. Biased. Exposed.,” highlights reporters and outlets the administration claims have published biased or misleading stories.

Jim Acosta urges media to stand together against Donald Trump’s remarks

Acosta is refusing to stay silent as Trump continues to call out reporters. The latest incident involved Trump calling Bloomberg reporter Catherine Lucey “piggy” during a press briefing. 

Speaking on MS NOW on Saturday, November 29, Acosta said such behavior would be unacceptable in any workplace. He added that if a boss in any company had made similar remarks to a female employee, they likely would have been fired. Acosta stressed that the press should not simply overlook such conduct.

“Other folks in the press in the room should speak up in that moment and say, ‘Mr President, that is not appropriate,” Acosta said. “And, you know, double down on the questions that were asked. ‘Why didn’t you answer that question? Why are you resorting to personal attacks? Why can’t you take the heat? What’s going on here?” He emphasized, “I think the only solution to all of this is collective action.”

Acosta suggested that major newspapers and broadcast networks unite and send a formal message to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. The letter would make clear that if Trump does not stop mocking journalists, the media will pause coverage of Oval Office press events and trips aboard Air Force One.

“You can have Fox and all these other sycophantic outlets covering you, but we’re just not going to do it. We’re going to take a break for a while until you clean up your act,” Acosta said, urging the media to come forward. 

Donald Trump’s back-and-forth with reporters draws attention

Trump went viral after snapping at ABC News correspondent Rachel Scott Lucey. She cut in while he was answering a question about files tied to Jeffrey Epstein. Lucey began, “If there is nothing incriminating in the files” just as Trump was criticizing Democrats.

Trump immediately cut her off. He said, “Quiet, quiet piggy,” and then moved on to another reporter with a question about Venezuela. The “piggy” remark seems to be a new addition to Trump’s back-and-forth with the press.

Still, blunt exchanges are nothing new for him. He has never held back when pushing back on reporters, regardless of gender. Over the years, he has dismissed networks as “fake news” and even called a reporter “ugly.”