A former Fox Business Network host who reportedly received a settlement over sexual harassment claims against Bill O'Reilly criticized President Trump on Wednesday for his defense of the top-rated cable news host.
Trump earlier in the day declared O'Reilly innocent of the allegations that prompted Fox to pay $13 million to settle complaints from women at the network, the New York Times reported. Trump said he didn't believe O'Reilly should have settled because he was a "good person" who had done nothing wrong.
Without naming O'Reilly or describing his behavior toward her, former Fox Business Network host Rebecca Gomez Diamond spoke up for the women who had received settlements and criticized Trump for his defense of O'Reilly. According to the Times, Diamond in 2011 received a settlement for an undisclosed amount related to sexual harassment and O'Reilly.
"I'm saddened reading your comments. Truly disappointed and vilified all over again. Such comments tell women they won't be believed," she tweeted at Trump's @POTUS account.
The tweets were her first public comments since the settlements were revealed over the weekend.
@POTUS I'm saddened reading your comments. Truly disappointed and vilified all over again. Such comments tell women they won't be believed
Diamond added that the women were forced into settlements because of their employment agreements with Fox, which require mediation and prevent women from going to court.
"President Trump, the women were forced to settle, not the other way around, because of employment agreements prohibiting court trials," she tweeted at the president. "If you don't believe in settlements, get rid of forced mediation employment agreements and women won't have to settle."
She added that she had met three of Trump's children while she was a host for Fox Business.
@POTUS President Trump, I have personally met and interviewed three of your children several times while I was a host at Fox Business.
The Times reported that Diamond had signed a confidentiality agreement that prevented her from speaking about her claims. Her case involved recorded conversations with O'Reilly, the Times reported.
Diamond did not immediately return a BuzzFeed News request for comment.