Ex-Fox News host Gretchen Carlson took on President Donald Trump on Tuesday after video surfaced of him verbally attacking a female White House reporter and referring to her as “piggy” following her question about the Jeffrey Epstein files.
Carlson — in a post to X — shared a clip of what she referred to as the president’s “disgusting and degrading” treatment of Bloomberg’s Catherine Lucey, treatment that the White House defended by accusing the reporter of behaving in an “inappropriate and unprofessional way towards her colleagues.”
Advertisement
“It strikes at the core for me since I faced similar shame,” wrote Carlson, the winner of the 1989 Miss America pageant.
“One of my Miss America celeb judges William Goldman wrote an entire book calling me ‘Miss Piggy’ saying I had been too fat to win ― at 105 lbs.”
Carlson was a vital figure in the #MeToo movement after filing a lawsuit against then-Fox News CEO Roger Ailes for sexual harassment in 2016, the same year she left the network. She went on to receive a reported $20 million settlement and an apology from the company.
Advertisement
— Gretchen Carlson (@GretchenCarlson) November 18, 2025
","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Gretchen Carlson","author_url":"https://twitter.com/GretchenCarlson","cache_age":86400,"description":"Pres Trump calling the reporter #MissPiggy is disgusting and degrading. It strikes at the core for me since I faced similar shame. One of my Miss America celeb judges William Goldman wrote an entire book calling me "Miss Piggy" saying I had been too fat to win — at 105 lbs. pic.twitter.com/kxiPFFg3EL— Gretchen Carlson (@GretchenCarlson) November 18, 2025nnn","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false},"_maxwidth":{"label":"Adjust width","placeholder":"220-550, in px","value":""},"_theme":{"value":"","values":{"dark":"Use dark theme"}}},"provider_name":"Twitter","thumbnail_height":352,"thumbnail_url":"https://pbs.twimg.com/amplify_video_thumb/1990807418746335232/img/wSf6uxJuVRI2dhwo.jpg:large","thumbnail_width":640,"title":"Gretchen Carlson on Twitter / X","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/GretchenCarlson/status/1990808171376427176","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"enhancements":{},"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"desktop","editionInfo":{"id":"uk","name":"U.K.","link":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk","locale":"en_GB"},"originalEdition":"us","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isMobile":false,"isAdsFree":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"691d01f7e4b06f2a60ca504b","entryPermalink":"https://www.huffpost.com/entry/gretchen-carlson-trump-quiet-piggy-attack_n_691d01f7e4b06f2a60ca504b","entryTagsList":"donald-trump,fox-news,gretchen-carlson,mary-bruce,piggy,@us_huffpost_now","sectionSlug":"politics","deptSlug":"politics-news","sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"us-news","isWide":false,"isShopping":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"uk.politics","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc140cf94592c45d7390c","disabledWithMapiEntries":false,"overrides":{"all":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4"},"whitelisted":["56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439","56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529","570278d2e4b070ff77b98217","57027b4be4b070ff77b98d5c","56fe95c4e4b0041c4242016b","570279cfe4b06d08e3629954","5ba9e8821c2e65639162ccf1","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e","5b35266b158f855373e28256","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2","60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","60d0de02b627221e9d819408"],"playlists":{"default":"57bc306888d2ff1a7f6b5579","news":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","politics":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","entertainment":"56c6e7f2e4b0983aa64c60fc","tech":"56c6f70ae4b043c5bdcaebf9","parents":"56cc65c2e4b0239099455b42","lifestyle":"56cc66a9e4b01f81ef94e98c"},"playerUpdates":{"56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439":"60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b":"60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529":"60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced":"60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e":"60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2":"60d0de02b627221e9d819408"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"16b0ecc6-802c-4120-845f-e90629812c4d","clickToPlayPlayer":"823ac03a-0f7e-4bcb-8521-a5b091ae948d","videoPagePlayer":"05041ada-93f7-4e86-9208-e03a5b19311b","defaultPlaylist":"2e062669-71b4-41df-b17a-df6b1616bc8f"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"https://img.connatix.com/e8def6c6-6679-4b12-9ad6-c90a4813efbf/1_th.jpg?crop=629:354,smart&width=629&height=354&format=jpeg&quality=60&fit=crop","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":14},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":1},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"691d01f7e4b06f2a60ca504b","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"desktop","page_edition":"en-uk"},"tags":[{"name":"Donald Trump","slug":"donald-trump","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/donald-trump","permalink":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/donald-trump","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/donald-trump"},"url":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/donald-trump"},{"name":"Fox News","slug":"fox-news","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/fox-news","permalink":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/fox-news","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/fox-news"},"url":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/fox-news"},{"name":"gretchen carlson","slug":"gretchen-carlson","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/gretchen-carlson","permalink":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/gretchen-carlson","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/gretchen-carlson"},"url":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/gretchen-carlson"},{"name":"mary bruce","slug":"mary-bruce","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/mary-bruce","permalink":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/mary-bruce","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/mary-bruce"},"url":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/mary-bruce"},{"name":"piggy","slug":"piggy","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/piggy","permalink":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/piggy","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/piggy"},"url":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/piggy"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"backfillRelatedArticles":[],"cetUnit":"buzz_body","enableIncontentPlayer":false,"bodyAds":["
rnrn","
rnrn","
rnrn","
rnrn"],"adCount":0,"midArticleAdPartner":null},"isCollectionEmbed":false}”>
Pres Trump calling the reporter #MissPiggy is disgusting and degrading. It strikes at the core for me since I faced similar shame. One of my Miss America celeb judges William Goldman wrote an entire book calling me “Miss Piggy” saying I had been too fat to win — at 105 lbs. pic.twitter.com/kxiPFFg3EL
— Gretchen Carlson (@GretchenCarlson) November 18, 2025
Critics have put Trump on blast over his “piggy” remark, including longtime White House correspondent April Ryan — who Trump administration official Lynne Patton once referred to as “Miss Piggy” in 2018 — who told The Guardian that the president is “acting like some thug on the street.” Patton later apologized.
Carlson, in another post to X on Tuesday, referred to Trump scolding ABC News correspondent Mary Bruce after she questioned him about the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi as the president met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Oval Office.
Advertisement
“Trump is despicable towards female reporters — just now ridiculing the WH @ABC reporter calling her a terrible reporter – and now saying ABC’s license should be taken away because they are fake news,” she wrote. “Wtf country do we live in right now?”
She later tagged Bruce in a separate post and noted that she has an “army” of supporters behind her for asking the president “normal questions” about the Epstein files at the Oval Office presser, as well.
— Gretchen Carlson (@GretchenCarlson) November 18, 2025
","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Gretchen Carlson","author_url":"https://twitter.com/GretchenCarlson","cache_age":86400,"description":"Trump is despicable towards female reporters — just now ridiculing the WH @ABC reporter calling her a terrible reporter – and now saying ABC’s license should be taken away because they are fake news. Wtf country do we live in right now?— Gretchen Carlson (@GretchenCarlson) November 18, 2025nnn","options":{"_maxwidth":{"label":"Adjust width","placeholder":"220-550, in px","value":""},"_theme":{"value":"","values":{"dark":"Use dark theme"}}},"provider_name":"Twitter","title":"Gretchen Carlson on Twitter / X","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/GretchenCarlson/status/1990844291170648164","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"enhancements":{},"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"desktop","editionInfo":{"id":"uk","name":"U.K.","link":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk","locale":"en_GB"},"originalEdition":"us","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isMobile":false,"isAdsFree":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"691d01f7e4b06f2a60ca504b","entryPermalink":"https://www.huffpost.com/entry/gretchen-carlson-trump-quiet-piggy-attack_n_691d01f7e4b06f2a60ca504b","entryTagsList":"donald-trump,fox-news,gretchen-carlson,mary-bruce,piggy,@us_huffpost_now","sectionSlug":"politics","deptSlug":"politics-news","sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"us-news","isWide":false,"isShopping":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"uk.politics","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc140cf94592c45d7390c","disabledWithMapiEntries":false,"overrides":{"all":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4"},"whitelisted":["56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439","56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529","570278d2e4b070ff77b98217","57027b4be4b070ff77b98d5c","56fe95c4e4b0041c4242016b","570279cfe4b06d08e3629954","5ba9e8821c2e65639162ccf1","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e","5b35266b158f855373e28256","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2","60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","60d0de02b627221e9d819408"],"playlists":{"default":"57bc306888d2ff1a7f6b5579","news":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","politics":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","entertainment":"56c6e7f2e4b0983aa64c60fc","tech":"56c6f70ae4b043c5bdcaebf9","parents":"56cc65c2e4b0239099455b42","lifestyle":"56cc66a9e4b01f81ef94e98c"},"playerUpdates":{"56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439":"60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b":"60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529":"60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced":"60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e":"60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2":"60d0de02b627221e9d819408"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"16b0ecc6-802c-4120-845f-e90629812c4d","clickToPlayPlayer":"823ac03a-0f7e-4bcb-8521-a5b091ae948d","videoPagePlayer":"05041ada-93f7-4e86-9208-e03a5b19311b","defaultPlaylist":"2e062669-71b4-41df-b17a-df6b1616bc8f"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"https://img.connatix.com/e8def6c6-6679-4b12-9ad6-c90a4813efbf/1_th.jpg?crop=629:354,smart&width=629&height=354&format=jpeg&quality=60&fit=crop","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":14},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":1},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"691d01f7e4b06f2a60ca504b","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"desktop","page_edition":"en-uk"},"tags":[{"name":"Donald Trump","slug":"donald-trump","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/donald-trump","permalink":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/donald-trump","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/donald-trump"},"url":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/donald-trump"},{"name":"Fox News","slug":"fox-news","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/fox-news","permalink":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/fox-news","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/fox-news"},"url":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/fox-news"},{"name":"gretchen carlson","slug":"gretchen-carlson","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/gretchen-carlson","permalink":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/gretchen-carlson","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/gretchen-carlson"},"url":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/gretchen-carlson"},{"name":"mary bruce","slug":"mary-bruce","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/mary-bruce","permalink":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/mary-bruce","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/mary-bruce"},"url":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/mary-bruce"},{"name":"piggy","slug":"piggy","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/piggy","permalink":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/piggy","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/piggy"},"url":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/piggy"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"backfillRelatedArticles":[],"cetUnit":"buzz_body","enableIncontentPlayer":false,"bodyAds":["
rnrn","
rnrn","
rnrn","
rnrn"],"adCount":0,"midArticleAdPartner":null},"isCollectionEmbed":false}”>
Trump is despicable towards female reporters — just now ridiculing the WH @ABC reporter calling her a terrible reporter – and now saying ABC’s license should be taken away because they are fake news. Wtf country do we live in right now?
— Gretchen Carlson (@GretchenCarlson) November 18, 2025
Advertisement
— Gretchen Carlson (@GretchenCarlson) November 18, 2025
","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Gretchen Carlson","author_url":"https://twitter.com/GretchenCarlson","cache_age":86400,"description":"Please know @marykbruce that there is an army of women & men supporting you for asking normal questions of the President of the US – #EpsteinFiles questions — which he answered yesterday! But today he’s back to being a madman calling you terrible and ABC fake news. Stand strong.— Gretchen Carlson (@GretchenCarlson) November 18, 2025nnn","options":{"_maxwidth":{"label":"Adjust width","placeholder":"220-550, in px","value":""},"_theme":{"value":"","values":{"dark":"Use dark theme"}}},"provider_name":"Twitter","title":"Gretchen Carlson on Twitter / X","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/GretchenCarlson/status/1990845335002870044","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"enhancements":{},"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"desktop","editionInfo":{"id":"uk","name":"U.K.","link":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk","locale":"en_GB"},"originalEdition":"us","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isMobile":false,"isAdsFree":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"691d01f7e4b06f2a60ca504b","entryPermalink":"https://www.huffpost.com/entry/gretchen-carlson-trump-quiet-piggy-attack_n_691d01f7e4b06f2a60ca504b","entryTagsList":"donald-trump,fox-news,gretchen-carlson,mary-bruce,piggy,@us_huffpost_now","sectionSlug":"politics","deptSlug":"politics-news","sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"us-news","isWide":false,"isShopping":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"uk.politics","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc140cf94592c45d7390c","disabledWithMapiEntries":false,"overrides":{"all":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4"},"whitelisted":["56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439","56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529","570278d2e4b070ff77b98217","57027b4be4b070ff77b98d5c","56fe95c4e4b0041c4242016b","570279cfe4b06d08e3629954","5ba9e8821c2e65639162ccf1","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e","5b35266b158f855373e28256","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2","60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","60d0de02b627221e9d819408"],"playlists":{"default":"57bc306888d2ff1a7f6b5579","news":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","politics":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","entertainment":"56c6e7f2e4b0983aa64c60fc","tech":"56c6f70ae4b043c5bdcaebf9","parents":"56cc65c2e4b0239099455b42","lifestyle":"56cc66a9e4b01f81ef94e98c"},"playerUpdates":{"56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439":"60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b":"60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529":"60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced":"60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e":"60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2":"60d0de02b627221e9d819408"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"16b0ecc6-802c-4120-845f-e90629812c4d","clickToPlayPlayer":"823ac03a-0f7e-4bcb-8521-a5b091ae948d","videoPagePlayer":"05041ada-93f7-4e86-9208-e03a5b19311b","defaultPlaylist":"2e062669-71b4-41df-b17a-df6b1616bc8f"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"https://img.connatix.com/e8def6c6-6679-4b12-9ad6-c90a4813efbf/1_th.jpg?crop=629:354,smart&width=629&height=354&format=jpeg&quality=60&fit=crop","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":14},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":1},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"691d01f7e4b06f2a60ca504b","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"desktop","page_edition":"en-uk"},"tags":[{"name":"Donald Trump","slug":"donald-trump","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/donald-trump","permalink":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/donald-trump","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/donald-trump"},"url":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/donald-trump"},{"name":"Fox News","slug":"fox-news","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/fox-news","permalink":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/fox-news","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/fox-news"},"url":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/fox-news"},{"name":"gretchen carlson","slug":"gretchen-carlson","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/gretchen-carlson","permalink":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/gretchen-carlson","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/gretchen-carlson"},"url":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/gretchen-carlson"},{"name":"mary bruce","slug":"mary-bruce","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/mary-bruce","permalink":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/mary-bruce","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/mary-bruce"},"url":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/mary-bruce"},{"name":"piggy","slug":"piggy","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/piggy","permalink":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/piggy","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/piggy"},"url":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/piggy"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"backfillRelatedArticles":[],"cetUnit":"buzz_body","enableIncontentPlayer":false,"bodyAds":["
rnrn","
rnrn","
rnrn","
rnrn"],"adCount":0,"midArticleAdPartner":null},"isCollectionEmbed":false}”>
Please know @marykbruce that there is an army of women & men supporting you for asking normal questions of the President of the US – #EpsteinFiles questions — which he answered yesterday! But today he’s back to being a madman calling you terrible and ABC fake news. Stand strong.
— Gretchen Carlson (@GretchenCarlson) November 18, 2025