Monica Lewinsky Affair With Bill Clinton, Lewinsky Reflects on Her Experience 25 Years Later

Monica Lewinsky is reflecting on the 25th anniversary of her affair with former President Bill Clinton becoming public.

In an essay, the activist and writer, now 49, shared her observations and lessons learned from the quarter-century since she was a White House intern.

“One thing everyone has in common is that we all make mistakes. It’s inevitable. Embrace the Art of the Mistake,” Lewinsky wrote. Her affair with Clinton, 76, became a major news story on January 21, 1998, leading to his impeachment.

“You cannot escape your narrative,” she added in another part of her essay.

Lewinsky also discussed her approach to choosing friends, remarking, “Twenty-five years ago, I had one of the world’s worst friends: Linda ‘Judas, hold my beer’ Tripp.”

She noted that she has “since let go of the resentment and bitterness” related to Tripp’s “betrayal” and feels fortunate to have been able to trust new people.

In a lighter note, Lewinsky playfully referenced her past relationship with Clinton, saying, “As the years pass, one’s taste in partners improves. (Wink.),” and concluded her thoughts with a direct and somewhat corny message: “Lastly, I don’t know how to say this other than to be direct and insufferably corny: You can survive the unimaginable.”

In 2021, Lewinsky spoke about the intense scrutiny she faced during the mid-’90s scandal and how every aspect of her life, including her physical appearance, was publicly examined and criticized.

“We didn’t even have terms like ‘fat shaming’ or ‘slut shaming’ then,” Lewinsky told. “It was incredibly painful.”

“I still don’t like having my photo taken professionally,” she continued.

“Over twenty years later, there’s still a mental tape that holds some of those traumatic experiences of hearing people say awful things, seeing cartoons of myself, and the idea that the only reason an actual relationship with Clinton could have been possible was if I were more attractive.”

Lewinsky added, “I already had self-esteem issues, and being the subject of ridicule didn’t help.”

Reflecting on the Clinton scandal, Lewinsky told, “At 22, I was in awe of being at the White House, the presidency, and this man with amazing energy and charisma paying attention to me.”

“I was enamored with him, like many others,” she continued. “He had a charisma—lethal charm, and I was intoxicated.”

Lewinsky stated she no longer needs an apology from Clinton, saying, “If I had been asked five years ago, there would have been a part of me that needed something—perhaps a sense of closure or understanding. I’m incredibly grateful not to need any of that.”

However, Lewinsky hopes for ongoing discussions about the power dynamics between influential men and those without power.

“As we all came to see, it wasn’t just about losing a job but about the power to be believed, the power to be shielded from the press, the power to have others smear someone’s reputation, and the power to understand consequences, given that this was my first job out of college,” she said.