Gretchen Carlson: Trump was implying Gillibrand would perform ‘sexual favors’

Former Fox News host Gretchen Carlson called President Trump’s Tuesday tweet directed at Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) “despicable” and “disgusting,” saying it implies “she would have done sexual favors” in order to get campaign contributions.

Gillibrand has called on Trump to resign over the allegations of sexual misconduct that multiple women have leveled against him, and on Tuesday morning he struck back, calling her a “lightweight” and “total flunky.”

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

“I thought that it was a deliberate takedown of her because she’s a female senator and an effort to try and silence her,” Carlson told CNN on Tuesday. 

“A lot of people believe that that means she would have done sexual favors and that is absolutely disgusting,” the former “Fox & Friends” host added.

Gillibrand and other Democrats were swift to condemn Trump’s tweet.

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. https://t.co/UbQZqubXZv

— Kirsten Gillibrand (@SenGillibrand) December 12, 2017

Carlson has been active on the media front lately, particularly on CNN, as almost-daily accusations of sexual harassment have been revealed from the media, political and entertainment worlds. 

All three industries have been rocked by allegations of sexual harassment against many high-profile names, including Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey, Louis C.K., Mark Halperin, Charlie Rose, Matt Lauer, Ryan Lizza, Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.), former Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.), Alabama Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore and Rep. Blake Farenthold (R-Texas).

After Carlson’s contract wasn’t renewed in 2016 — due to low ratings, according to the network — Carlson accused Fox News CEO Roger Ailes of sexual harassment in a lawsuit filed in July of last year.

Ailes was forced to resign after more women came forward and an internal investigation was launched by 21st Century Fox via the law firm Paul, Weiss.

Since then, Carlson has testified before Congress on forced arbitration, a common TV contract clause that legally binds parties to settle resolutions outside of the court system.

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She also signed on to be a contributor at Time magazine and authored a book, “Be Fierce: Stop Harassment and Take Your Power Back,” which was released in October.

Carlson, 51, has not ruled out pursuing a career in politics.

“My life has worked in mysterious ways,” she said last Thursday on CNN. “I started as a classical violinist and was going to be a lawyer and I ended up in TV and never expected to be the face of sexual harassment.”

“So my answer to that question is, who knows?” she added.

When her answer fueled speculation she would run for Senate in Connecticut, where she has resided for years, Carlson took to Twitter to dismiss the discussion.

“No I said I wouldn’t rule out politics in general in my life. I’m not running for Senate in CT,” she wrote to her 106,000 followers.

Carlson, who won the Miss America pageant in 1989 while representing the state of Minnesota, worked at Fox News from 2005 to 2016.