EXCLUSIVE: Monica Lewinsky Roasts Bill Clinton for Mounting 'Gross Abuse of Power' to Reel Her in During Most Candid Interview Yet
Monica Lewinsky blasted Bill Clinton for abusing power in her most candid interview.
Jan. 14 2026, Published 5:43 p.m. ET
Monica Lewinsky has delivered her most unflinching account yet of the relationship that upended her life, accusing former president Bill Clinton of a "gross abuse of power" and describing the long shadow cast by a scandal that made her, at 24, a global object of ridicule and hate.
RadarOnline.com can reveal Lewinsky, now 52, made the remarks as she reflected on the aftermath of the 18-month relationship with Clinton that became public in January 1998, when she was a White House intern and he was leader of the free world.
From Private Citizen To Global Scandal Figure
Monica Lewinsky accused Bill Clinton of abusing his power.
Speaking during a wide-ranging interview, she described the sudden transformation from private citizen to becoming a hunted public figure after their fling emerged, recalling: "Becoming a public person without having had an intention to; going to bed one night and the next day, everyone knows your name."
She described the years that followed the scandal as defined by fear, isolation and humiliation.
"The public humiliation was excruciating; life was almost unbearable," Lewinsky said, recounting how paparazzi made daily life impossible and how her family was pushed to breaking point.
She contemplated suicide, her father considered jumping from a balcony, and her mother suffered a nervous breakdown.
Lewinsky Says Clinton Escaped Consequences
Lewinsky described sudden global scrutiny at age 24.
Asked whether Clinton, now 79, escaped the consequences of the affair, Lewinsky said: "I haven't spoken to him in almost 30 years and I don't know what his internal landscape is. I think he escaped a lot more than I did."
She added while she once framed the relationship as consensual, time and distance have altered her understanding.
"The farther away you get from something, the more mature you get and the more healed you get," she said, adding: "And this was a gross abuse of power. Full stop."
Lewinsky acknowledged her own part in the affair but said the imbalance at the heart of the relationship was unavoidable.
"That doesn't mean I didn't make mistakes, that I didn't make wrong choices, that my behavior didn't hurt other people," she stressed. "But at the heart of it was a gross abuse of power."
She also admitted she was in love with Clinton, believing at the time the feelings were mutual, before conceding what she thought those emotions meant was mistaken.
Lasting Damage To Identity And Intimacy
Lewinsky acknowledged her mistakes but drew clear boundaries.
The impact on her sense of self and sexuality lingered for decades after her romps with Clinton.
"The first time I had sex post-'98, I just wanted to get it over with so I knew it wasn't a stigma that would be with me for the rest of my life," she said.
"But I do think the most powerful man in the world standing up and saying, 'I did not have sex with that woman' – I've definitely had to deal with some baggage in that area."
Reclaiming The Narrative On Her Terms
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Lewinsky reclaimed control of her own narrative.
Sources close to Lewinsky say the interview marks a decisive moment in her long effort to reframe the narrative around her affair.
One told us: "She is no longer cushioning her words for anyone else's comfort. Calling it an abuse of power is her drawing a final line under decades of blame that was unfairly placed on her."
Another source said the timing matters, with renewed attention on Clinton following the inclusion of snaps of the former president in the latest Epstein files release.
The insider added: "Every time his name resurfaces, Monica's follows. This is her asserting ownership of the story of their affair on her terms."
Lewinsky has since rebuilt her life as an anti-bullying campaigner, producer and podcast host, but says huge scars remain.
"I'd been dissected on a world stage," she said, reflecting on years when no employer would hire her.
Now, she says, age has brought perspective.
Lewinsky declared: "My fifties have been fantastic. There's so much acceptance."
She also said about Epstein's sex trafficking victims: "We failed these young women. The survivors are the ones who should be leading and dictating what happens."
