Vince Foster was murdered to protect the Clintons
| Vince Foster was murdered to protect the Clintons | |
|---|---|
| FALSE | |
| "White House deputy counsel Vince Foster did not take his own life in 1993; he was murdered because of what he knew about the Clintons, and his death was covered up." | |
| Domain | Crime & Public Safety |
| Tactic | Conspiracy Theory |
| Era | Historical |
| First seen | 1993 |
| Origin | Conservative newsletters, talk radio and fax campaigns in the months after Foster's death on July 20, 1993; revived repeatedly online, including by Donald Trump in 2016 |
| Last reviewed | 2026-10-29 |
| Further reading: books on Crime & Public Safety | |
Vince Foster, a deputy White House counsel and longtime friend of Bill and Hillary Clinton, was found dead in Fort Marcy Park in Virginia on July 20, 1993. Almost immediately, claims spread that he had been murdered and that the scene had been staged. Five separate official investigations, including one led by independent counsel Kenneth Starr, who was investigating the Clintons, concluded that Foster died by suicide.
The claim
Promoters pointed to supposed irregularities: the position of the gun, the lack of visible blood, a missing briefcase and Foster's work on Clinton legal matters, including the Whitewater land deal. The theory became a staple of anti-Clinton videos and was later cited as part of the so-called "Clinton body count."
What the evidence shows
- Five investigations. The US Park Police, independent counsel Robert Fiske (1994), a Senate Banking Committee inquiry, a House inquiry led by Representative William Clinger, and independent counsel Kenneth Starr (1997) all concluded the death was a suicide.
- Starr's finding. Starr's office, which had every incentive to find wrongdoing by the Clintons, reported that the forensic evidence, Foster's state of mind and the gun traced to his family supported suicide.
- Depression. Foster had shown signs of depression in the weeks before his death and had sought the name of a psychiatrist. A torn note found later listed his distress over attacks on the White House staff.
Why it persists
The theory fits a wider story of the Clintons as ruthless and is easily revived. In a 2016 interview, Donald Trump called the death "very fishy," returning it to the headlines.
Lessons for readers
- When investigators with opposite motives reach the same conclusion, that conclusion is strong.
- Small oddities at a death scene are common and are not evidence of murder.
See also
Sources
- Office of Independent Counsel (Kenneth W. Starr), Report on the Death of Vincent W. Foster, Jr., October 1997.
- Office of Independent Counsel (Robert B. Fiske Jr.), Report of the Independent Counsel In Re Vincent W. Foster, Jr., June 30, 1994.
- Wikipedia, "Suicide of Vince Foster."