The White House defended President Trump on Tuesday for suggesting Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand “would do anything” for campaign contributions, saying those who claimed the tweet contained sexual innuendo have their mind “in the gutter.”
Trump has used “similar terminology many times when talking about politicians of both parties, both men and women,” press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters.
Related: Kirsten Gillibrand: Trump attack a ‘sexist smear’
Sanders continued, dismissing questions about whether Trump was making a reference to sexual acts in his tweet about Gillibrand.
“There’s no way this is sexist at all,” Sanders said. “He’s not alleging anything. He’s talking about the way our system functions as it is – that politicians repeatedly beg for money. That’s not something new and that comment, frankly, isn’t something new.”
Trump targeted the New York Democrat in a tweet Tuesday morning, days after she called on him to step down as president over new allegations of sexual misconduct.
“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,” the tweet said.
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. Very disloyal to Bill & Crooked-USED!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 12, 2017
Sanders said the president did not owe Gillibrand an apology for his critical words.
“Only if your mind is in the gutter would you have read it that way,” she told a reporter who questioned the content of the tweet.
