Democratic presidential hopeful Tulsi Gabbard said Wednesday she filed her $50 million defamation lawsuit against Hillary Clinton to hold the former secretary of state “accountable” for her alleged smears.

Clinton, 72, has refused to walk back comments she made during an Oct. 17 appearance on a podcast, in which she referred to Gabbard as a “Russian asset.”

The Hawaii congresswoman, 38, was asked about Clinton’s statement during a town hall campaign event in Charlestown, New Hampshire on Wednesday evening.

“I’m a patriot, I love our country,” Gabbard said, pointing to her service in the Army National Guard and her tenure in Congress.

“I will not stand quietly by as Hillary Clinton or anyone else tries to smear my character and my loyalty and dedication to serving our country,” she said, according to a clip of the event from ABC News.

“I’ve filed a lawsuit against her for that defamation,” Gabbard said of Clinton. “I hold her accountable.”

A Clinton spokesperson did not comment to The Post on Gabbard’s Manhattan federal lawsuit.