Donald Trump singled out the only female candidate on the Republican debate stage on Tuesday, asking of Carly Fiorina: “Why does she keep interrupting everybody?”
A number of candidates had been talking over each other, and the comment about the former Hewlett-Packard CEO went down like a lead balloon, both in the room – where the audience booed – and on social media, where Trump’s targeting of Fiorina was decried as sexist.
Hours of men interrupting each other and Trump says of Fiorina: "Why does she keep interrupting everybody?"
— Jenny (@jenny_katherine) November 11, 2015
Can Trump go one day without saying something sexist? #GOPDebate
— Kammi☀ (@Kammi18) November 11, 2015
I felt it was rude and unfair. Multiple people keep interrupting but Trump only targeted Fiorina. https://t.co/CUJFzlrn86
— Leah Cowan (@leah_cowan22) November 11, 2015
"Why does she keep interrupting everybody?" @realDonaldTrump dealing with women who have opinions #GOPDebate
— Chanun Singh (@ChanunSingh) November 11, 2015
When Trump said "why does she keep interrupting?", think he meant "how dare this woman speak?"
— diane robinson (@loveandlamont) November 11, 2015
This is not the first time accusations of sexism have been levelled at Trump.
During the first Fox News debate in August, Trump was pressed by moderator Megyn Kelly to answer for comments in the past calling some women “fat pigs, dogs, slobs, and disgusting animals”.
Afterwards, speaking to CNN, Trump said that “there was blood coming out of [Kelly’s] eyes, blood coming out of her wherever”, a comment widely interpreted to be referring to menstruation.
Trump and Fiorina have also clashed before. Before the CNN Republican debate in September, Trump was quoted in an article in Rolling Stone saying: “Look at that face. Would anyone vote for that? Can you imagine that? The face of our next president?”
During that debate, Fiorina took Trump to task for his comments. “I think women all over the country heard very clearly what Mr Trump said,” she said, to supportive applause.
Trump, momentarily lost for words, was left awkwardly backpedalling, and said: “I think she has a very beautiful face.”
