In answering a question at a Fox News town hall from a retired neonatal nurse about third-trimester abortion, Gillibrand said women should decide how many children they are having, when they have children and under what circumstances.

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"Senator, senator," Wallace said, "I just want to say, we brought you here, gave you an hour, we're treating you fairly. I understand that maybe to make your credentials with the Democrats who are not appearing on Fox News, you're going to attack us. I'm not sure, it's frankly very polite when we've invited you to be here."

Gillibrand responded, "I'll do it in a polite way."

"Why don't we instead of talking about Fox News why don't you answer the questions," Wallace said. Gillibrand then continued with her answer. "The debate over whether or not women should have reproductive freedom has turned into a red herring debate," she said. "And what happens on Fox News is relevant because they talked about infanticide for 6.5 hours before President Trump's State of the Union, they mentioned it 35 times. That's not what the debate of what access to care is about in this country. It doesn't happen, it's illegal, it's not a fact. And I believe all of us have a responsibility to talk about facts." A rift has opened among the two dozen Democratic 2020 presidential contenders over whether to appear on Fox News, with some refusing to do so and others seeing it as a way of reaching out to more voters. A rift has opened among the two dozen Democratic 2020 presidential contenders over whether to appear on Fox News, with some refusing to do so and others seeing it as a way of reaching out to more voters.

The exchange with Wallace was one of several that seemed to trend on social media Sunday evening.

In another moment of the town hall, Gillibrand, answering a question about her tweet that "The future is female," said there needed to be more female voices at the table.

Wallace asked about male voices.

"They're already there," Gillibrand said. "Do you not know?"