California Governor Gavin Newsom tried to mock White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt Thursday after she defended President Donald Trump’s exchange with a female reporter over rude questions.
Leavitt defending Trump’s insult at Thursday’s press conference. When asked what the president meant by calling Bloomberg reporter Catherine Lucey “piggy,” Leavitt told reporters the president is “very frank and honest” and that it’s “one of the many reasons the American people re-elected” him.
Trump told Lucey “Quiet, piggy!” aboard Air Force One last Friday after she interrupted him. The White House released video of the incident this week.
Take a look –
I’m in a toxic relationship with Trump
Everytime I hate him this nigga does something that makes me laugh so hard
My GOAT said “Quiet Piggy” to the lady
LMAOOOOOOOOOO pic.twitter.com/WWKzU7eAek
— , (@Zvbear) November 19, 2025
“Look, the president is very frank and honest with everyone in this room,” Leavitt said.”You’ve all seen it yourself. You’ve experienced it yourselves. And I think it’s one of the many reasons that the American people reelected this president because of his frankness.”
Leavitt said Trump’s honest behavior was better treatment than reporters received under the Biden administration.
“I think the president being frank, and open, and honest to your faces rather than hiding behind your backs is frankly a lot more respectful than what you saw in the last administration — where you had a president who lied to your face and then didn’t speak to you for weeks and hid upstairs and didn’t take your question,” Leavitt said. “So, I think everyone in this room should appreciate the frankness and the openness that you get from President Trump on a near-daily basis.”
The White House also issued a statement defending Trump’s comment, and said Lucey “behaved in an inappropriate and unprofessional way toward her colleagues on the plane.”
“If you’re going to give it, you have to be able to take,” the White House official said.
Newsom posted a satirical meme on X showing Leavitt dressed as Effie Trinket, a character from “The Hunger Games” movies. Trinket serves as a spokesperson for the dystopian Capitol’s totalitarian government in the popular film franchise.
“There is nothing she won’t defend,” Newsom wrote alongside the meme.
Take a look –
There is nothing she won’t defend. https://t.co/ZoOwITMImG pic.twitter.com/DGWxsjFXMs
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) November 20, 2025
Newsom’s office has used the Effie Trinket meme against Leavitt multiple times. On Labor Day, Newsom’s press office posted a similar meme showing Leavitt as the character holding a sign reading “Happy Labor Day.”
In “The Hunger Games” series, Trinket acts as a face for the affluent, yet morally bankrupt Capitol. The character is played by Elizabeth Banks in the films based on Suzanne Collins’ novels.
Newsom has been attacking Trump and his administration for months, attempting to adopt Trump’s social media playbook. Newsom has explained he is attempting to “hold a mirror to MAGA” by following Trump’s example.
The California governor also posted a Labor Day meme comparing White House adviser Stephen Miller to Lord Voldemort, the villain from the “Harry Potter” series.
Republican Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar defended the president’s brash style.
“No one is perfect,” Salazar said, explaining that the president is “a different type of politician.”