Among 160 years of presidential scandals, Trump stands alone
While he’s far from the only U.S. president to be dogged by legal and ethical scandals, Donald Trump now occupies a unique place in history as the first ever indicted on criminal charges
By RUSS BYNUM
Published - Mar 30, 2023, 07:31 PM ET
Last Updated - Jun 22, 2023, 11:38 AM EDT
Though far from the only U.S. president dogged by legal and ethical scandals, Donald Trump now occupies a unique place in history as the first indicted on criminal charges.
Two others, like Trump, found themselves impeached by Congress — Bill Clinton for lying under oath about his affair with a White House intern, and Andrew Johnson for pushing the limits of his executive authority in a bitter power struggle following the Civil War.
Richard Nixon resigned in disgrace over his role in the infamous Watergate break-in. And Ronald Reagan and Ulysses S. Grant both became forever tied to scandals in which close aides got prosecuted, though neither president was ever charged.
Here’s a look at how Trump’s predecessors fared: