Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand hit back against President Trump on Wednesday, after he called her a “total flunky” on Twitter and accused her of “begging” him for campaign donations. Gillibrand had earlier called for Trump to resign over the sexual misconduct allegations against him.
The Democrat from New York told NBC’s Today Show: “President Trump is wrong, he is a bully and he’s been attacking people across this country since he’s been president.”
“Since the Women’s March women have stood up, have fought hard, have spoken out about their beliefs and they’ve not stopped,” she continued.
Trump had attacked Gillibrand on Twitter on Tuesday. “Lightweight Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a total flunky for Chuck Schumer and someone who would come to my office “begging” for campaign contributions not so long ago (and would do anything for them), is now in the ring fighting against Trump.”
Gillibrand is the only woman in a group of senators who have called for the President to resign over sexual misconduct. She is also the only one to be targeted by Trump on Twitter.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren came to Gillibrand’s defense after the President’s tweet. She said Trump was trying to “bully, intimidate and slut-shame” her fellow Democrat, and said the language in the tweet was sexist.
In response, White House spokesperson Sarah Sanders said on Tuesday, “there’s no way that this is sexist at all. This is simply talking about a system that we have which is broken.”
Gillibrand also responded to the President directly through Twitter on Tuesday. “You cannot silence me or the millions of women who have gotten off the sidelines to speak out about the unfitness and shame you have brought to the Oval Office,” she wrote.
At least 15 women have come forward to accuse the President of sexual misconduct, including allegations they were groped and forcibly kissed by Trump. A recording of Trump from 2005 boasting that his fame allowed him to “grab” women “by the pussy” failed to derail his presidential campaign in 2016, although an increasing number of senators are calling for the allegations to be examined further in the wake of the resignation last week of Sen. Al Franken over sexual misconduct.
