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Trump’s sexually suggestive tweet sparks feud with Sen. Gillibrand

Crude and vile.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) speaks during the first day of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia , Monday, July 25, 2016. (CREDIT: AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) speaks during the first day of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia , Monday, July 25, 2016. (CREDIT: AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

President Donald Trump started his Wednesday morning by attacking Democratic New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand on Twitter.

“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,” he tweeted. “Very disloyal to Bill & Crooked-USED!”

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Both Trump and his daughter Ivanka, now a White House adviser, have made a series of donations to Gillibrand in the past.

Gillibrand has consistently been of the loudest voices in Congress when it comes to protecting victims of sexual assault and harassment. On Monday, she joined other Democratic Senators like Cory Booker (D-NJ), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Bernie Sanders (D-VT) in calling for Trump to resign over accusations of his own sexual misconduct. Gillibrand, however, was the only one targeted in the president’s morning tweet.

Many have speculated the phrases and words Trump chose to include in the tweet (“begging,” “flunky,” “USED”) were suggestive in nature, implying Gillibrand “would do anything” for the donations.

Less than an hour later, Gillibrand, who according to her aides was in a bipartisan bible study when Trump tweeted, responded on Twitter.

“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.

The president’s tweet comes one day after three women who have accused him in the past of unwanted groping or kissing appeared on Megyn Kelly TODAY  and gave a press conference to share their stories. On Tuesday morning, Trump lashed out at them as well, tweeting, “Despite thousands of hours wasted and many millions of dollars spent, the Democrats have been unable to show any collusion with Russia – so now they are moving on to the false accusations and fabricated stories of women who I don’t know and/or have never met. FAKE NEWS!”

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Just before noon on Tuesday, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) tweeted her support for Gillibrand, calling out the president for attempting to “bully, intimidate, and slut-shame” her.

“Are you really trying to bully, intimidate and slut-shame @SenGillibrand?” she wrote. “Do you know who you’re picking a fight with? Good luck with that, @realDonaldTrump. Nevertheless, #shepersisted.”

This week, 56 lawmakers signed a letter put forward by Democratic congresswomen asking the House Oversight Committee to look into the allegations against Trump.

“[…] We are requesting that the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform investigate the reports of sexual misconduct raised against President Trump, many of which he has denied,” the letter states. “The American people deserve a full inquiry into the truth of these allegations.”

The number of women who have publicly accused Trump of sexual misconduct now totals more than a dozen.