I did not have sexual relations with that woman
| I did not have sexual relations with that woman | |
|---|---|
| FALSE | |
| "President Bill Clinton did not have a sexual relationship with White House intern Monica Lewinsky." | |
| Domain | Politics & Elections |
| Tactic | Fabrication False Context |
| Era | Historical |
| First seen | 1998 |
| Origin | President Bill Clinton's sworn deposition of January 17, 1998, and his public statement at the White House on January 26, 1998 |
| Last reviewed | 2026-10-27 |
| Further reading: books on Politics & Elections | |
The statement "I did not have sexual relations with that woman" was made by President Bill Clinton at a White House event on January 26, 1998, days after reports emerged of his relationship with Monica Lewinsky, who had been a White House intern. Clinton had denied a sexual relationship in a sworn deposition on January 17 in a sexual harassment lawsuit brought by Paula Jones. In August 1998, after Lewinsky provided evidence to independent counsel Kenneth Starr, Clinton acknowledged an "inappropriate" relationship in grand jury testimony and a televised address. His false statements under oath led to his impeachment by the House of Representatives in December 1998; the Senate acquitted him in February 1999. A federal judge later held him in civil contempt for giving false testimony.
The claim
Wagging his finger at reporters, Clinton said he wanted to say one thing to the American people: that he did not have sexual relations with Miss Lewinsky and had never told anybody to lie. His aides and allies repeated his denials for months, and some attacked the credibility of those reporting the story.
What the evidence shows
- Clinton's admission. On August 17, 1998, Clinton testified to a grand jury and then told the nation in a televised address that he had had a relationship with Lewinsky that was not appropriate and that he had misled people, including his wife.
- Lawyerly definitions. Clinton argued that his earlier statements had been legally accurate under a narrow definition of "sexual relations" used in the Jones deposition. In his grand jury testimony he also said that whether a statement was true could depend on what the meaning of the word "is" is, a remark that became a byword for evasion.
- The Starr Report. In September 1998 Starr sent Congress a report alleging that Clinton had committed perjury and obstruction of justice.
- Impeachment. On December 19, 1998, the House impeached Clinton on charges of perjury before a grand jury and obstruction of justice. On February 12, 1999, the Senate acquitted him on both articles, with neither receiving even a simple majority.
- Contempt and sanctions. In April 1999 US District Judge Susan Webber Wright held Clinton in civil contempt for giving intentionally false testimony in the Jones case and ordered him to pay costs. In January 2001, in an agreement with the independent counsel, Clinton acknowledged that he had knowingly given evasive and misleading answers, accepted a five-year suspension of his Arkansas law license and paid a fine.
Why it persists
The statement is among the most famous false denials by a political leader. The episode deeply divided Americans. Many believed that lying about a consensual affair did not warrant removal from office, while others argued that lying under oath by the nation's chief law enforcement officer was a serious offense. Later reassessments, especially after the #MeToo movement, have focused more on the power imbalance between a president and a young intern.
Lessons for readers
- Watch for statements that are technically defensible under narrow definitions but misleading in ordinary meaning.
- A forceful public denial is not evidence.
- Sworn testimony carries legal consequences that public statements do not.
- Partisan allies often defend leaders long after the evidence turns.
- Distinguish between the underlying conduct and false statements about it.
See also
- The White House had no involvement in Watergate
- We did not trade weapons for hostages
- If you like your health care plan, you can keep it
- On Bullshit (Frankfurt)
Sources
- William J. Clinton, remarks at the White House, January 26, 1998, and Address to the Nation, August 17, 1998.
- Office of the Independent Counsel, Referral to the United States House of Representatives (the Starr Report), September 1998.
- Jones v. Clinton, 36 F. Supp. 2d 1118 (E.D. Ark. 1999) (order of civil contempt).
- Peter Baker, The Breach: Inside the Impeachment and Trial of William Jefferson Clinton (Scribner, 2000).