Sexual harassment or physical misconduct in every industry has been increasing because more and more women are coming forward to talk about their incidents. However, in the political world, sexual harassment is nothing new, and allegations related to it have been made against a number of American presidents. Most recently, the sexual harassment allegations have caught former president of the USA, Donald Trump, in a frenzy. The series of these allegations began with Thomas Jefferson, who became the third president of the United States. So, let’s have a look at the information we have gathered about all the American presidents who have been accused of sexual harassment.
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the third president of the United States, who served from 1801 to 1809 and was also known as the Founding Father. Also, prior to this, he was a popular American diplomat, statesman, lawyer, and philosopher. However, during his presidency, he was accused of having sexual relations with Sally Hemmings, who was his slave and was often referred to by people as his mistress. It was alleged that Thomas Jefferson used to rape Sally Hemmings whenever he wanted and also impregnated her six times.
Also, it was alleged by some historians that he fathered some or all of the six children of Sally Hemmings who were born into slavery. All these allegations were denied for a total of 150 years, but in the 1970s, Fawn M. Brodie suggested in a biography that Thomas had been the father of Sally’s children. In 1998, a DNA analysis was done, and it came to light that there was a match between Thomas Jefferson and Sally’s youngest child, Eston Hemmings. However, the historical evidence revealed that Thomas was the father of Sally’s children.
Grover Cleveland
Grover Cleveland was the president of the United States twice: once from 1885 to 1889 and then from 1893 to 1897. He became the only US president to serve two non-consecutive terms. Though he was very powerful, he became the center of attraction when a woman named Maria Halpin accused him of sexual harassment.
She accused Grover Cleveland of raping and impregnating her. In a 2015 book written by Charles Lachman, it was revealed that Cleveland committed a violent sexual assault. He revealed that Maria met Cleveland in 1873 on a Buffalo, New York street. He invited her for dinner at his house and later walked her back to her home. When they reached her house, he raped her without her consent in a forcible manner and threatened her not to tell anyone about this. During the 1884 presidential elections, the news became controversial, and it was alleged that Cleveland paid child support to Maria for the child, who was born in September 1874.
Richard Nixon
The 37th president of the United States, who served in the position from 1969 to 1974, was often referred to as the bumbling ladies’ man. During his time in the White House, the former president was surrounded by the allegations of sexual harassment and caught himself in a controversy. Multiple female staffers alleged that Richard Nixon used to hit on middle-aged women and also made unwanted sexual advances towards them. The Last President’s Men, a book written by Nixon’s journalist, Bob Woodward, revealed that Nixon used to touch secretaries inappropriately.
One secretary, Nell Yates, revealed that when she was called to Camp David, Nixon made an awful lot of starting to make moves and then withdrew. Further, Beverly Kaye, another secretary, alleged that when she boarded a flight with him wearing her mini skirt, he called her to sit with him and started staring and patting her bare thighs.
He later faced allegations of domestic abuse from his wife, Pat Nixon. Who claimed he physically abused her on multiple occasions.
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan was the 40th president of the United States, who served in the position from 1981 to 1989. He was considered one of the most important figures in American history because of his presidency. However, a book written by Kitty Kelly in 1991, Nancy Reagan: The Unauthorized Biography, leveled allegations of sexual harassment against him. In the book, actress Selene Walters has alleged that the actor-turned-president has assaulted her sexually.
She revealed that she met Reagan in the 1950s in a nightclub where he instantly asked her for her address. Selene Walters gave him the address and one day, Ronald showed up at her house at 3 am. He entered and forcibly assaulted her. Also, in an interview with People, Selene Walters stated that she would not name the incident as Date Rape because she did not have the chance to date Ronald Reagan.
George H.W. Bush
George H.W. Bush was the 41st president of the United States and served in the position from 1989 to 1993. During his term in office and after leaving the position, the former president has been accused by multiple women of sexual harassment. A Michigan woman said in an interview that Bush squeezed her buttocks while she posed for a picture with him at a 1992 campaign fundraiser. Several allegations of groping women have also been made against George Bush after he left the president’s office.
Actor Joanna Grolnick explained that when she met Bush, he reached his hand behind her back for a picture. As they both smiled, she felt his hand dig into his flesh. Also, actress Heather Lind has accused Bush of groping her during a photo in 2014. The actress has stated that at the premiere of Turn: Washington’s Spies, Bush groped her from behind while he was sitting in his wheelchair. After the allegations went public, Bush issued an apology by way of his spokesperson, Jim McGrath, and called it an act of humor. However, the actress stated that the former president’s actions demonstrate an abuse of the president’s office.
Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton was the 42nd president of the United States, and he is one of the many presidents who faced severe sexual harassment allegations. In 1999, Juanita Broaddrick accused him of raping her in a hotel room and also mentioned that he injured her lip by biting it during the sexual assault. However, after some time, Juanita denied being raped by him and stated that she had only denied it because she wanted to protect her privacy.
Another woman, Leslie Millwee, came forward in 2016 and accused Bill Clinton of sexually assaulting her three times in the 1980s. Further, Paula Jones filed a lawsuit against Bill in 1994 and made claims that he assaulted her sexually by taking her to a hotel room and exposing himself completely. The case led to perjury and abuse of power and ultimately led to Clinton’s impeachment.
In 1998, the case of sexual misconduct was settled between both parties. Then, a White House intern named Monica Lewinsky, who was reported to have an affair with Bill, came forward and stated that he took advantage of her. This controversy led to intense media scrutiny and resulted in his impeachment from the House of Representatives. Another woman named Kathleen Willey mentioned that Bill Clinton groped her in the White House hallway in 1993.
Donald Trump
The 45th president of the United States, Donald Trump, has a long list of sexual assault or sexual harassment allegations against him. At least 18 women have accused Donald Trump of inappropriate behavior, which includes Amy Dorris. She is a former model who alleged recently that the former president forcibly kissed her and groped her at the U.S. tennis tournament in 1997.
Jessica Leeds has also alleged that Trump groped her on an airplane in the late 1970s. However, Trump repeatedly denied these allegations, stating that this never took place. Another woman named Kristen Anderson revealed that Donald Trump put his hand under her skirt in the 1990s. She mentioned that she was sitting next to him at the Old China Club bar in NYC, where he slid his hand under her skirt and groped her. However, Trump’s team denied these allegations.
In 1997, Jill Harth filed a lawsuit against Trump claiming that he had sexually harassed her, but she withdrew it as a condition of setting a separate financial dispute with him. Other women who have come forward to accuse Trump are Cathy Heller, Temple Taggart McDowell, Karena Virginia, Tasha Dixon, Jessica Drake, and many more. The floodgates of sexual harassment allegations were opened in October 2016 when The Washington Post published the Access Hollywood tape of Trump.
In this, the former president was bragging about grabbing women by their private parts, and that too without their consent. Long before Trump entered politics, his first wife, Ivana Trump, accused him of sexual harassment and rape. Due to all these allegations, the people who dislike Trump have named him a predator in chief.
George W. Bush
George W. Bush was the 43rd president of the United States, who served in the position from 2001 to 2009. Also, he is the eldest son of George H.W. Bush. However, his name was tainted when a woman named Margie Schoedinger accused him of sexually assaulting and raping her in October 2000. Margie accused him just a year after George became the president in 2001.
A local Texas newspaper revealed that she filed a lawsuit against George W. Bush two years later and claimed race-based harassment and individual crimes committed against her and her husband. A year later, Margie Schoedinger passed away due to suicide. The lawsuit received minimal attention, and after a few years, it was dismissed due to no substantial evidence corroborating the claims.
That’s all from our side. If you think we have forgotten to mention any important names, please let us know in the comments.
