Former President Bill Clinton has shared his emotional response and analysis of the 2016 presidential election loss in a new memoir, detailing the factors he believes contributed to his wife Hillary Clinton’s defeat. In Citizen: My Life After the White House, Clinton also addresses his past connection with financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The 42nd president, who has rarely commented on the aftermath of his wife’s 2016 loss, reveals his internal struggle following the election, acknowledging that he "couldn't sleep for two years" and had "outbursts of rage" that made him difficult to be around according to The Wrap.
In the memoir, Clinton cites key elements he believes led to Hillary Clinton’s loss: former FBI Director James Comey’s handling of the email investigation, a hostile press, and Russian interference on social media.
Clinton's reflections paint a picture of a man grappling with the aftermath of a major political defeat. He recounts a period marked by sleepless nights and frustration, writing that his emotional state made him “not fit to be around.” The former president also offers an apology to those around him during this time, admitting that his emotional outbursts were often disruptive.
"I apologize to all those who endured my outbursts of rage, which lasted for years and bothered or bored people who thought it pointless to rehash things that couldn’t be changed," Clinton wrote. His introspection highlights the deep toll the 2016 election results took on him personally.
In his memoir, Clinton does not shy away from placing blame on various factors that he believes influenced the election.
The former president specifically points to Comey’s decision to reopen the FBI investigation into Hillary Clinton’s emails in the final days of the campaign as a pivotal moment. Clinton also critiques the media, calling the press hostile and biased, which, in his view, exacerbated his wife’s chances.
A key component of his explanation focuses on Russian interference. Drawing on the work of social scientist Kathleen Hall Jamieson, Clinton argues that Russia's cyberattacks, combined with Comey’s actions, led voters in crucial swing states—Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin—to either abstain from voting or support third-party candidates. Clinton believes that these influences ultimately cost Hillary Clinton the election.
The bottom line is, even though it allowed me to visit the work of my foundation, traveling on Epstein’s plane was not worth the years of questioning afterward," Clinton lamented in his memoir. "I wish I had never met him," he added, reflecting on the connection with Epstein, whose criminal activities were only revealed later.
One of the more controversial aspects of Clinton’s memoir is his admission of having flown on Jeffrey Epstein’s private jet, the "Lolita Express." While Clinton insists he never visited Epstein’s island, he expresses regret over any association with the financier, who was later revealed to be involved in serious criminal behavior.
“I had always thought Epstein was odd but had no inkling of the crimes he was committing,” Clinton wrote. He emphasizes that by the time Epstein was arrested in 2005, he had ceased contact with him, further stating, “He hurt a lot of people, but I knew nothing about it.”
Clinton's memoir offers a candid look into his feelings about the Epstein connection. Despite previously flying aboard Epstein’s plane to various events, Clinton now deeply regrets this part of his past. His comments suggest that the fallout from his association with Epstein was far more than he anticipated.
“I’ve never visited his island,” Clinton affirmed, repeatedly distancing himself from any involvement in Epstein’s alleged criminal activities.
His expressions of regret point to the damage caused by his past actions, acknowledging the years of public questioning that followed his association with the financier.
Clinton's recounting of the 2016 election results and the emotional toll it took on him underscores the deep frustration that marked this period in his life.
His focus on the factors he believes contributed to Hillary Clinton’s loss suggests that he has yet to fully reconcile with the outcome. The personal nature of his reflections, along with the more public analysis of external influences, paints a picture of a man still processing the events that shaped a turning point in American politics.
As Clinton continues to deal with the legacy of both his wife’s defeat and his own controversial connections, his memoir offers insight into his thoughts and struggles during these turbulent years. While he regrets his past ties to Epstein, he remains adamant that he had no knowledge of the crimes committed by the financier.
