An event planner appointed by President Donald Trump to a key position at the Department of Housing and Urban Development has apologized after insulting a journalist on Wednesday.
Lynne Patton, who oversees billions of dollars in federal funds as head of the agency’s New York and New Jersey office, had called April Ryan “Miss Piggy.”
Ryan is the White House correspondent and Washington bureau chief for American Urban Radio Networks.
Patton deleted the tweet, but screenshots persist:
Patton later apologized, writing:
“I deleted my last tweet by choice. No one from this Administration contacted me. It was beneath me & I apologize to @AprilDRyan. My parents raised me to respect others & I regret my response. I apologize to them, @SecretaryCarson & the Trump family. They deserved better.”
However, some of Patton’s other other tweets directed at Ryan remain online, including two calling her a “a blogger working for a bankrupt outlet.”
Ryan fired back:
Patton’s apology wasn’t enough for some people on social media who are now calling on her to resign, with many saying she shouldn’t have been appointed to her position in the first place given her lack of qualifications.
The New York Times noted last year that Patton had organized golf tournaments and other events for the Trump family, including Eric Trump’s wedding.
Here is some of the reaction: