--- title: Kirsten Gillibrand Responds to Donald Trump's Tweets description: Kirsten Gillibrand, the Democrat senator from New York, slammed President Trump over the "sexist smear" he controversially tweeted at her canonical: https://time.com/5062263/kirsten-gillibrand-donald-trump-sexist/ author: Aric Jenkins article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-12-13T13:23:44.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-12T08:42:03.286Z article:section: Politics og:title: Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand Speaks Out After President Trump's 'Sexist Smear' og:description: The Democrat senator from New York said she interpreted Trump's comments as sexually suggestive og:url: https://time.com/5062263/kirsten-gillibrand-donald-trump-sexist/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt52d0edc13bb58bce/6988e63c22fb8543f0e23ba9/gettyimages-874627834.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 5297 og:image:height: 2980 og:image:alt: Sexual Harassment Presser og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand Speaks Out After President Trump's 'Sexist Smear' twitter:description: The Democrat senator from New York said she interpreted Trump's comments as sexually suggestive twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt52d0edc13bb58bce/6988e63c22fb8543f0e23ba9/gettyimages-874627834.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # 'I'm Not Going to Be Silenced.' Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand Speaks Out After President Trump's 'Sexist Smear' > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME D.C. Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition D.C. Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington. D.C. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=c72a3991-b612-4781-86a4-d63c82714782&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Gillibrand Responds to Trump's Tweet and Calls It 'Sexist Smear' [Watch (HLS stream): Gillibrand Responds to Trump's Tweet and Calls It 'Sexist Smear'](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/fSncRaPh.m3u8) (0:33)  _Published 2017-12-12. President Trump inadvertently boosted Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand in a feud over allegations of sexual misconduct._ by [Aric Jenkins](https://time.com/author/aric-jenkins/) ## Aric Jenkins Dec 13, 2017 1:23 PM UTC President Trump inadvertently boosted Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand in a feud over allegations of sexual misconduct. by [Aric Jenkins](https://time.com/author/aric-jenkins/) ## Aric Jenkins Dec 13, 2017 1:23 PM UTC Kirsten Gillibrand, the Democrat senator from New York, slammed President Donald Trump over the “sexist smear” he [controversially tweeted at her on Tuesday.](http://time.com/5060794/donald-trump-kirsten-gillibran-tweets/) On Wednesday, Gillibrand appeared on the _Today Show_ to discuss the exchange and doubled down on her call for Trump to resign over [sexual misconduct allegations](http://time.com/5059236/white-house-donald-trump-sexual-assault-accusers/) just as several Congress members [have done in recent weeks.](http://time.com/5053958/al-franken-resigns/) “Certainly that’s how I and many people read it and it was certainly just a sexist smear intended to silence me,” Gillibrand said to host Savannah Guthrie when asked if she felt Trump’s comments at her had sexual overtones. “I’m not going to be silenced on this issue,” Gillibrand continued. “I’ve heard the testimony of many women, of numerous accusers, I believe them, and he should resign for that. I think Congress should do an investigation because we need accountability.” In Trump’s tweet to Gillibrand on Tuesday, he called her a “lightweight” and said that she would “come to my office ‘begging’ for campaign contributions not so long ago (and would do anything for them).” The tweet was [widely criticized for being sexually suggestive](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2017/12/12/trump-sends-sexually-suggestive-and-demeaning-tweet-about-gillibrand/?utm%5Fterm=.9b3566b20499) by implying that Gillibrand would do anything for money. > [](https://twitter.com/SenGillibrand/status/940580340560809984) Trump’s calling out of Gillibrand came a day after the Senator said that he should resign from the presidency. “President Trump has committed assault, according to these women, and those are very credible allegations of misconduct and criminal activity, and he should be fully investigated and he should resign,” [she told CNN](http://www.cnn.com/2017/12/11/politics/trump-resign-gillibrand-sexual-assault/index.html?sr=twCNNp121117trump-resign-gillibrand-sexual-assault) Monday. > [](https://twitter.com/SenGillibrand/status/940326866430328832) Gillibrand’s remarks on the _Today Show_ came hours after the Alabama Senate election was called for the Democrat Doug Jones, who in a [stunning victory](http://time.com/5062097/doug-jones-alabama-senator-gop-roy-moore/) defeated Republican challenger Roy Moore in the wake of sexual harassment accusations of his own. “I think this was an election about what we feel, and our values, and what we care about, and I think President Trump is wrong,”Gillibrand said on _Today_. “He is a bully, and he’s been attacking different people across this country since he’s been president.” ## Transcript I see it as a sexist smear. I mean, that's what it is. And it's part of the President's effort in name calling. And it's not gonna to silence me. It's intended to silence me. It's not gonna silence the women who have stood up against him directly. And it's not gonna silence the millions of women out there who have been speaking out every day since his inauguration about things they disagree with. It's the right thing to do. And these allegations should be investigated, they should be investigated thoroughly, that is the right thing to do and I am urging them to do that. And as should their constituents. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5062263/kirsten-gillibrand-donald-trump-sexist/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5062263/kirsten-gillibrand-donald-trump-sexist/"},"headline":"'I'm Not Going to Be Silenced.' Sen. 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