Bill Clinton Recalls Frustration During Interview Over Affair Questions In New Book

Last Updated:November 21, 2024, 23:09 IST

In his new book, 'Citizen: My Life After the White House,' Clinton admits that he has never directly apologised to Lewinsky

Former US President Bill Clinton. (File photo via AP)

Former US President Bill Clinton revealed that he was “frustrated" during a past interview when he was questioned about his affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky, a scandal that led to his impeachment, in his new book.

In his new book, ‘Citizen: My Life After the White House,’ Clinton admits that he has never directly apologised to Lewinsky, despite publicly apologising to her and others.

The affair, which came to light in 1998, triggered one of the biggest political scandals in US history. Clinton initially lied about the relationship before admitting the truth, leading to his impeachment by the then Republican-controlled House of Representatives. However, he was acquitted by the Senate in 1999.

In his book, Clinton recalls a 2018 interview with NBC’s Today show, where he was caught off guard when asked if the same situation would lead him to resign today, considering the ‘MeToo’ movement, The Guardian reported.

The interview, which was meant to discuss his novel ‘The President is Missing,’ quickly shifted to the Lewinsky affair. Host Craig Melvin questioned whether Clinton had ever apologised directly to Lewinsky, despite his public apology in 1999.

Clinton writes in ‘Citizen’ that he was frustrated during the interview, as he had already expressed regret publicly. “I fought to contain my frustration as I replied that while I’d never talked to her directly, I did say publicly on more than [one] occasion I was sorry," he wrote.

The former president also criticised Melvin for not being properly briefed, stating that the host was “barely in his teens when all this happened."

While Clinton did not directly apologise to Lewinsky at the time, he notes in his book that he meant his public apology “then and I mean it today." He added that he lives with the consequences of his actions and acknowledged Lewinsky’s work as an anti-bullying activist.

Clinton also wished her well, writing, “Monica’s done a lot of good and important work over the last few years… I wish her nothing but the best."

Lewinsky, now an anti-bullying campaigner, has previously said she does not need an apology from Clinton. In a 2021 interview, she had stated, “He should wanna apologise, in the same way that I wanna apologise any chance I get to people that I’ve hurt."

In the book, Clinton also reflects on his meetings with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and discusses the philanthropic work that has kept him busy since leaving office. Despite the ongoing questions about his past, Clinton’s memoir focuses on how he has found fulfillment in his post-presidential life.

Clinton had previously discussed the affair in a 2020 documentary, where he admitted to using the relationship with Lewinsky to cope with the pressures of the presidency, describing it as a way to manage his anxieties. He expressed regret over how the scandal affected Lewinsky, calling it “awful" that the affair came to define her life.

(With inputs from agencies)

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