Monica Lewinsky gets candid 30 years after Clinton affair
More than three decades after her name became one of the most recognizable in American political history, Monica Lewinsky is once again speaking openly about the scandal that changed her life forever.
Now 51, Lewinsky is reclaiming her story on her own terms, reflecting on the relationship with former President Bill Clinton that thrust her into the center of a global media firestorm and left lasting consequences that she says still resonate today.
Appearing on Elizabeth Day’s podcast How To Fail, the former White House intern offered a candid look back at the affair that dominated headlines in the late 1990s. At the time, Lewinsky was just 22 years old. Clinton was 49 and serving as President of the United States.
The revelation of their relationship sparked one of the most talked-about political scandals in modern history, leading to impeachment proceedings against Clinton and intense public scrutiny that fell overwhelmingly on Lewinsky.
White House intern Monica Lewinsky meeting President Bill Clinton at a White House function submitted as evidence in documents by the Starr investigation and released by the House Judicary committee September 21, 1998.
Looking back, Lewinsky described her feelings at the time as genuine and deeply emotional.
“It was 22 to 24-year-old young woman’s love,” she said.
She acknowledged that her perspective has evolved over the years.
“I think there was some limerence there and all sorts of other things, but that’s how I saw it then. I think it was also an abuse of power.”
While Lewinsky has spent years reflecting on the relationship itself, she says one of the most painful parts of the aftermath was the way she was portrayed publicly.
Fresh out of college, she had landed what many young people would consider a dream opportunity working at the White House. Instead of becoming the start of a promising career, the scandal dramatically altered the course of her life.
“My very first job out of college was working in the White House,” she explained.
“I don’t think that’s the kind of trajectory that someone thinks then 10, 12 years later, that person’s not going to be able to get hired.”
According to Lewinsky, the public narrative surrounding her was shaped in ways that were both damaging and difficult to escape. She was frequently labeled with derogatory terms and reduced to stereotypes that followed her for years.
“I wasn’t a dumb bimbo. I was portrayed to be, and that was a big struggle for me to deal with that.”
She noted that much of the criticism came from women as well, despite what she believes was a narrative crafted and promoted by political operatives.
“That mantle was picked up by a lot of women.”
When news of the affair first surfaced, President Clinton publicly denied having a relationship with Lewinsky. Months later, on August 17, 1998, he acknowledged his involvement and accepted responsibility for the affair.
For Lewinsky, however, the public admission did little to lessen the impact the scandal had on her life.
She became a frequent target of late-night comedy routines, tabloid headlines, and relentless media coverage. The intense scrutiny led to depression and years of struggling to rebuild both her reputation and her future.
Today, she admits she sometimes wonders what life might have looked like had events unfolded differently.
“I love and appreciate who I am now, but I think for so many different reasons, I would’ve liked a more normal life.”
“I would’ve liked to have had a more normal trajectory.”
During a separate appearance on the Call Her Daddy podcast with host Alex Cooper, Lewinsky reflected even further on the power imbalance at the center of the relationship.
Cooper summarized the circumstances bluntly:
“You were 22 years old, he was 49, you were an intern. He was the President of the United States.”
Lewinsky agreed that the power dynamics played a significant role in how she now views the situation.
She also recalled how quickly public opinion turned against her.
“I was very quickly painted as a stalker, mentally unstable, not attractive enough.”
The consequences extended far beyond the headlines.
“Because of the power dynamics, and the power differential, I never should’ve been in that f***ing position.”
Perhaps most importantly, Lewinsky believes the fallout affected more than just her own life. She argues that an entire generation of women witnessed what happened to her and absorbed a troubling message about public judgment, sexuality, and power.
“There was so much collateral damage for women of my generation to watch a young woman to be pilloried on the world stage, to be torn apart for my sexuality, for my mistakes, for my everything.”
More than 30 years after becoming one of the most scrutinized women in America, Monica Lewinsky is no longer willing to be defined solely by a chapter of her past.
Monica Lewinsky: On Shame, Survival & Reclaiming Her Story
Rather than asking for sympathy, she is asking for understanding. Through interviews, public speaking, and advocacy work, she continues to challenge the way society treats individuals caught in public scandals, particularly young women facing overwhelming power imbalances.
Her reflections also raise a broader question that remains relevant today: In an era dominated by social media, viral outrage, and instant judgment, has society truly become more compassionate? Or are we still repeating many of the same patterns that turned a 22-year-old White House intern into a global target decades ago?
For Lewinsky, the conversation is no longer just about the past. It is about what people choose to learn from it.
FBI Assisting After Graham’s Sudden Death As Questions Continue
FBI Assisting After Graham’s Sudden Death As Questions Continue
The sudden death of one of Washington’s most influential Republicans continues to generate questions, with a new announcement from the FBI adding another development to an already closely watched story.
While many public figures have speculated about what may have happened, federal officials have so far limited their comments to confirming they are assisting authorities as the investigation into Sen. Lindsey Graham’s death continues.
FBI Director Kash Patel announced Sunday that the Federal Bureau of Investigation is assisting local authorities following the unexpected death of Sen. Lindsey Graham, who died Saturday at the age of 71 after what his office described as a “brief and sudden illness.”
“Our FBI is assisting local authorities and has made every necessary resource available,” Patel wrote on X.
Patel did not elaborate on the nature of the FBI’s assistance, and neither the bureau nor local authorities have indicated that foul play is suspected.
Graham’s office announced his death early Sunday morning but did not disclose an official cause of death.
According to multiple reports, emergency dispatchers received a 911 call from Graham’s Washington, D.C., residence at approximately 8:30 p.m. Saturday for a person experiencing cardiac arrest.
Authorities have not publicly released the findings of any medical examination, and no official cause of death has been announced.
The longtime South Carolina senator had just returned from a trip to Ukraine, where he met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and visited Ukrainian military facilities while reaffirming his support for continued U.S. backing in the country’s war against Russia.
Graham had also been one of the Senate’s most outspoken advocates for strong action against Iran and other U.S. adversaries.
Following news of his death, Iranian state television aired comments from a presenter celebrating Graham’s passing because of his outspoken positions on Iran and U.S. foreign policy.
The combination of Graham’s high-profile national security role, his recent overseas travel and the absence of an official cause of death has prompted widespread public speculation online.
Megan Mobbs, director of the Center for American Safety and Security at the Independent Women’s Forum, argued that a cardiac arrest call alone does not explain what caused Graham’s heart to stop.
“Cardiac arrest tells us how his life ended. It does not tell us why his heart stopped,” Mobbs wrote on X.
She said the circumstances warranted “a complete forensic autopsy, preservation of all relevant biological specimens, comprehensive toxicology and histology, and consultation with federal law enforcement and counterintelligence authorities.”
Conservative commentator Matt Van Swol questioned the timing of Graham’s death, pointing to recent video showing the senator appearing healthy during his trip to Ukraine.
Meanwhile, conservative activist Laura Loomer called for a full investigation, citing past threats made against Graham by individuals associated with Russia.
Others urged caution against jumping to conclusions.
Townhall columnist Dustin Grage wrote that a source told him Graham had dealt with blood pressure issues for decades and noted that the senator’s father also died from cardiac arrest at age 69.
“I know the conspiracy theories won’t stop, but sometimes life just happens. Not everything is a conspiracy,” Grage wrote.
Radio host Dana Loesch echoed that sentiment, saying sudden cardiac events often occur without warning.
For now, the confirmed facts remain limited: Graham died following what his office called a brief and sudden illness, the FBI has confirmed it is assisting local authorities, and officials have not announced an official cause of death.
Until additional information is released by investigators or the medical examiner, questions surrounding the circumstances of Graham’s death are likely to continue.
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
'HE WON'T SURVIVE' – FRIGHTENING NEW TRUMP PREDICTION SHAKES D.C.
Rosie O’Donnell Makes Chilling Prediction About Trump’s Future
Actress and comedian Rosie O’Donnell has made it clear that she does not like President Donald Trump, and he feels the same way about her.
In fact, O’Donnell was so upset by Trump’s 2024 victory, she packed up and moved to Ireland.
But she has returned at least once since she relocated there in January 2025, and she continues to make appearances on U.S.-based political news programs.
On Friday, for instance, she appeared on Jake Tapper’s CNN program to claim, without any evidence, that Trump’s health was declining the way Joe Biden declined during his term.
O’Donnell predicted that Trump would die before the end of his term because his demise is visible and apparent to everyone who is not willfully blind.
Tapper had asked O’Donnell if she intended to return to the United States once Trump leaves office in January 2029.
The comedian then responded that she didn’t think he would last that long, claiming his alleged cognitive decline is obvious.
To support her claim, she pointed to Trump’s mistakenly referring to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as “Putin” during the NATO summit last week in Ankara, Turkey.
“He makes the kind of mistakes that you would forgive at Thanksgiving dinner, but you would never let grandpa cut the turkey — because it might be dangerous because he doesn’t know what he’s saying,” she said.
Tapper noted that Trump also appeared to refer to Iran as the “Islamic Republic of Japan” in recent remarks.
O’Donnell claimed that was further evidence of what she called his “dementia.”
Neither O’Donnell nor Tapper applied the same standard during President Biden’s very obvious mental decline while in office, however.
The actress also falsely claimed that under Trump “fascism has already arrived” in the U.S., while criticizing left-wing Democrats for not treating the current situation as emergent, the Washington Times reported.
The latest remarks add to the long-running public feud between O’Donnell and Trump.
Trump has repeatedly criticized O’Donnell on Truth Social and has threatened to revoke her citizenship, referring to her as a “Threat to Humanity.”
O’Donnell’s comments mirror similar accusations from other prominent Democrats.
Earlier this month, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker suggested in an interview with CNN that Trump’s rhetoric reflected “dementia.”
The White House rejected the claim, calling it a “desperate” attempt to gain attention and defending the president’s health as “exceptional.”
O’Donnell “quietly” returned to the U.S. in February unannounced. At one point during her visit, she gave former CNN host Chris Cuomo an interview for his SiriusXM show “Cuomo Mornings.”
“I was recently home for two weeks, and I did not really tell anyone,” she told Cuomo.
“I just went to see my family. I wanted to see how hard it would be for me to get in and out of the country,” she said, hinting that it was somehow harder to do since Trump came back into office.
“I wanted to feel what it felt like. I wanted to hold my children again. And I hadn’t been home in over a year,” she said.
O’Donnell then said she “wanted to make sure that it was safe” to return before summer when her daughter was on school break.
She then said America “feels like a very different country” to her than when she lived here.
That’s because she hasn’t “been watching the news” or keeping up with “American culture television” while living in Ireland, she said.
“I’ve been in a place where celebrity worship does not exist,” she said.
“I’ve been in a place where there’s more balance to the news. There’s more balance to life,” O’Donnell went on.
“It’s not everyone trying to get more, more, more. It’s a very different culture. And I felt the United States in a completely different way than I ever had before I left,” she said.
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
