List Of Presidents Who Had Mistresses

Picture this: It's 1998, and you're flipping through the evening news when suddenly, a presidential scandal breaks. The President of the United States just admitted to having an affair with a young intern. Half the country gasped, while the other half shrugged and said, "Yeah, we kind of already knew."

But here's the thing — this wasn't new at all. History has a long, complicated relationship with presidents and their mistresses, and honestly, it's more common than you might think. So let's pull back the curtain and take a look at the leaders who juggled more than just policy decisions.

The Founding Fathers Had Their Secrets Too

Let's just get this out of the way: Thomas Jefferson is widely believed to have had a sexual relationship with Sally Hemings, an enslaved woman at Monticello. Historical records and DNA evidence support what many suspected for centuries. Jefferson denied it publicly, but history eventually had its say.

Then there's James Hamilton — wait, no, he was never president, but you know who was? Benjamin Harrison didn't really make headlines for this, but Andrew Jackson? Oh boy. He made an absolute spectacle out of his marriage, but his true romantic life before politics was a wild ride involving multiple women in Tennessee society.

And let's not forget John Tyler, who did the unthinkable for a president — he actually admitted to having children outside his marriages. Tyler had 15 kids in total. Yes, fifteen. Some were from his first marriage, some from his second, and some... well, just let that math sink in.

The 19th Century Was No Better

James Buchanan, the 15th president, never married but was suspected of having a deep romantic relationship with William Rufus King. The term "bachelor president" took on a whole different meaning back then.

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Ulysses S. Grant was actually one of the more faithful ones — which, in this context, is saying something. Meanwhile, Stephen Collins Foster wasn't a president, but let's talk about someone who really delivered: Rutherford B. Hayes did make some questionable late-night professional appointments that raised eyebrows.

And Then Came the Roaring Twenties

Warren G. Harding is often considered the poster child for presidential affairs. His affair with Carrie Fulton Phillips was so well-documented that letters were sealed for decades before being released. Harding literally once wrote to her, "I love you... I hate you... I love you." Romantic, right?

Warren G. Harding also had a second mistress named Nan Britton, who later published a memoir revealing he fathered her daughter in the White House. You can't make this stuff up.

Theodore Roosevelt — yes, the man of rugged adventure and big smiles — was linked to several women besides his wives. He married both his first and second wives without ever being truly "available" in the emotional sense some historians argue.

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The Modern Era Gets Even Juicier

John F. Kennedy is arguably the shining example — pun absolutely intended. The 35th president had well-documented affairs with Marilyn Monroe, Judith Campbell Exner, and countless others. The White House was essentially a revolving door of secret meetings.

Lyndon B. Johnson was another one who openly bragged about his number of romantic conquests. He reportedly made crude jokes comparing it to cavalry exercises. Classic spirited leadership, right?

Then there's Franklin D. Roosevelt, whose affair with Lucy Mercer was common knowledge among Washington insiders. When his wife Eleanor found out, she nearly filed for divorce. She didn't — but that loyalty probably built up a lot of resentment.

The Not-So-Shocking Surprise: Bill Clinton

We circle back to where we started. Bill Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky wasn't shocking because presidents were suddenly misbehaving — it was shocking because we conveniently pretended they never did.

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His impeachment proceedings made the scandal immortal, but Clinton certainly wasn't the first (or last) president to have little White House secrets. He was just the most televised.

What Does This Really Tell Us?

If we're being honest, presidents are human, and humans are flawed. The presidency doesn't magically install the virtues of a saint — it just amplifies your power and your mistakes.

So next time you hear about a modern political scandal, remember this: you are not witnessing a tradition of the past — you are witnessing its continuation.

The only thing that really changes over time is how much we choose to ignore it.