![The numerous times American presidents lied to the nation](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_6627b64b3443c.jpg)
![The numerous times American presidents lied to the nation](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_65d89d91a1bfc.jpg)
![The numerous times American presidents lied to the nation](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_65d89d9460f87.jpg)
![The numerous times American presidents lied to the nation](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_65d89d74713b8.jpg)
![The numerous times American presidents lied to the nation](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_65d89d75e3bc6.jpg)
![The numerous times American presidents lied to the nation](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_65d89d75260f6.jpg)
![The numerous times American presidents lied to the nation](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_65d89d78a6162.jpg)
![The numerous times American presidents lied to the nation](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_65d89d8dcd96f.jpg)
![The numerous times American presidents lied to the nation](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_65d89d8e99b95.jpg)
![The numerous times American presidents lied to the nation](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_65d89d8dc49dc.jpg)
![The numerous times American presidents lied to the nation](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_65d89d8ab536e.jpg)
![The numerous times American presidents lied to the nation](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_65d89d8891522.jpg)
![The numerous times American presidents lied to the nation](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_65d89d8989161.jpg)
![The numerous times American presidents lied to the nation](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_65d89d897270e.jpg)
![The numerous times American presidents lied to the nation](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_65d89d88da6dc.jpg)
![The numerous times American presidents lied to the nation](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_65d89d86f3bbb.jpg)
![The numerous times American presidents lied to the nation](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_65d89d856284c.jpg)
![The numerous times American presidents lied to the nation](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_65d89d8333a89.jpg)
![The numerous times American presidents lied to the nation](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_65d89d82d8eab.jpg)
![The numerous times American presidents lied to the nation](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_65d89d83d502f.jpg)
![The numerous times American presidents lied to the nation](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_65d89d81a7ec2.jpg)
![The numerous times American presidents lied to the nation](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_65d89d82cde72.jpg)
![The numerous times American presidents lied to the nation](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_65d89d8030c41.jpg)
![The numerous times American presidents lied to the nation](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_65d89d7e4ca61.jpg)
![The numerous times American presidents lied to the nation](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_65d89d7d9ec78.jpg)
![The numerous times American presidents lied to the nation](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_65d89d7a9b7ed.jpg)
![The numerous times American presidents lied to the nation](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_65d89d7d433d7.jpg)
![The numerous times American presidents lied to the nation](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_65d89d7ae8351.jpg)
![The numerous times American presidents lied to the nation](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_65d89d78df0b2.jpg)
![The numerous times American presidents lied to the nation](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_65d89d79b312e.jpg)
![The numerous times American presidents lied to the nation](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_65d89d796380f.jpg)
See Also
See Again
© Getty Images
0 / 31 Fotos
James K. Polk (1795–1849)
- In 1846, Polk told Congress that Mexico had invaded the US, but this wasn't true. In fact, his administration had ordered American soldiers occupy an area in Mexico near the Texas border.
© Getty Images
1 / 31 Fotos
James K. Polk (1795–1849)
- Then, when Mexican forces attacked the US soldiers, Polk claimed it was an attack against the US. This lie resulted in the Mexican-American War, which lasted until 1848.
© Getty Images
2 / 31 Fotos
Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865)
- While Lincoln didn't tell complete lies, he wasn't always truthful. In response to rumors that he was about to meet with Confederate representatives in Washington in 1865, he told the House that no representatives were on their way to Washington.
© Getty Images
3 / 31 Fotos
Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865)
- Lincoln wasn't lying, as they were on their way to Virginia, where he would later meet them. He didn't tell the whole truth at first because he didn't want his meeting to impact the passing of the 13th Amendment.
© Getty Images
4 / 31 Fotos
William McKinley (1843–1901)
- In 1898, McKinley declared Spain had attacked a US warship called the USS Maine in Cuba, killing 355 sailors. However, he had no evidence of this, and the cause of the sinking has never actually been proven.
© Getty Images
5 / 31 Fotos
William McKinley (1843–1901)
- While McKinley was reluctant to go to war with Spain, his insistence that the Spanish were behind the attack led to the Spanish-American War.
© Getty Images
6 / 31 Fotos
Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945)
- In 1940, FDR promised the nation that "your boys are not going to be sent into any foreign wars." However, he was already preparing to enter WWII. His declaration was only an election promise in order to win over Wendell Willkie.
© Getty Images
7 / 31 Fotos
Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945)
- The following year, in 1941, Roosevelt lied again. This time, he said a German submarine had attacked a US ship called the Greer without provocation. However, the Greer protected the British ships crossing the Atlantic Ocean and informed them about the submarine's whereabouts, as they had been following it. FDR only used the attack as a provocation to prepare the US to enter World War II.
© Getty Images
8 / 31 Fotos
Harry S. Truman (1884–1972)
- In August 1945, the Truman administration issued a press release after the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, describing it as "an important military base."
© Getty Images
9 / 31 Fotos
Harry S. Truman (1884–1972)
- Although it did have a military base, Hiroshima was home to 350,000 people. About 10,000 soldiers were killed in the blast, but most of the 125,000 people who died were civilians.
© Getty Images
10 / 31 Fotos
Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890–1969)
- In 1960, Eisenhower dismissed claims that the US had flown spy planes over the Soviet Union after one of its planes was shot down. Thinking the pilot was killed, he approved a number of statements that said it was a weather plane.
© Getty Images
11 / 31 Fotos
Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890–1969)
- But when the Soviet government announced they had one of the pilots, Gary Powers, in custody, Eisenhower had to admit he had been lying. "I didn't realize how high a price we were going to pay for that lie," Eisenhower said.
© Getty Images
12 / 31 Fotos
John F. Kennedy (1917–1963)
- On October 20, 1962, JFK told the press he had a cold. The truth was he was dealing with a crisis. Intelligence agents had discovered that the Soviets were creating a missile base in Cuba.
© Getty Images
13 / 31 Fotos
John F. Kennedy (1917–1963)
- To ensure the public didn't panic, he told the press he had to leave Chicago, where he was campaigning, due to having a fever. In reality, he had to attend a meeting back at the White House to decide whether to invade Cuba.
© Getty Images
14 / 31 Fotos
Lyndon B. Johnson (1908–1973)
- In 1964, Johnson said in a televised speech, "We still seek no wider war." This was in reference to the Gulf of Tonkin incident, in which North Vietnamese patrol boats had reportedly attacked US ships. In the same speech, he declared: "Aggression by terror against the peaceful villagers of South Vietnam has now been joined by open aggression on the high seas against the United States of America."
© Getty Images
15 / 31 Fotos
Lyndon B. Johnson (1908–1973)
- Johnson's administration claimed that the US ships were out on routine patrols, but they were actually on a secret mission in North Vietnamese territory. The attacks were used to increase the American presence in Vietnam. On top of that, Johnson withheld information from the public and Congress about how much was spent on the war and how badly it was going.
© Getty Images
16 / 31 Fotos
Richard Nixon (1913–1994)
- In 1970, Nixon lied to the country about a US covert bombing campaign in Cambodia. After the bombings were made public, Nixon let people believe the attacks on Cambodia were over, but they weren't. In a memo, Nixon wrote, "This is what we will say publicly but now, let's talk about what we will actually do."
© Getty Images
17 / 31 Fotos
Richard Nixon (1913–1994)
- Then in 1974, Nixon declared, "I'm not a crook" after being accused of obstructing justice and lying during the Watergate scandal. However, an investigation found evidence that he was indeed involved. Nixon later resigned as president instead of potentially being impeached.
© Getty Images
18 / 31 Fotos
Ronald Reagan (1911–2004)
- In 1986, Reagan promised the nation, "We did not—repeat, did not—trade weapons or anything else for hostages, nor will we." This was during the Iran-Contra Affair, where the US government secretly traded weapons with Iran in exchange for the release of American hostages being held by terrorists in Lebanon.
© Getty Images
19 / 31 Fotos
Ronald Reagan (1911–2004)
- The government then used the money from the weapons sale to fund anti-communist groups in Nicaragua. This meant the US had in fact traded arms for hostages. Nixon later said, "My heart and my best intentions still tell me that's true, but the facts and the evidence tell me it is not."
© Getty Images
20 / 31 Fotos
George H.W. Bush (1924–2018)
- In 1988, then-Republican presidential nominee George H.W. Bush said, "Read my lips: No new taxes." At the time, this was seen as a successful political slogan.
© Getty Images
21 / 31 Fotos
George H.W. Bush (1924–2018)
- But Bush was later forced to raise taxes during negotiations with a Senate and House controlled by Democrats. After he did so, the headline of the New York Post the next day read: "Read my Lips: I Lied."
© Getty Images
22 / 31 Fotos
Bill Clinton (1946-)
- In 1998, Clinton said before a federal grand jury, "I did not have sexual relations with that woman," referring to his intern Monica Lewinsky, with whom he did, in fact, have an affair.
© Getty Images
23 / 31 Fotos
Bill Clinton (1946-)
- Clinton was impeached for lying under oath, but he was acquitted by the Senate.
© Getty Images
24 / 31 Fotos
George W. Bush (1946-)
- Two months after the US invaded Iraq in 2003, George W. Bush claimed to have found weapons of mass destruction to justify the war. But they hadn't found anything.
© Getty Images
25 / 31 Fotos
George W. Bush (1946-)
- Bush later said, "We do not know whether or not [Iraq] has a nuclear weapon." However, then-CIA director George Tenet later testified that Bush was advised there were no nuclear weapons.
© Getty Images
26 / 31 Fotos
Barack Obama (1961-)
- In 2008, when Obama was pushing through his new Affordable Care Act, Obamacare, he promised people wouldn't need to change their plans if they didn't want to.
© Getty Images
27 / 31 Fotos
Barack Obama (1961-)
- In the end, millions of people had to change their plans. "I am sorry that they are finding themselves in this situation based on assurances they got from me," Obama said in 2013.
© Getty Images
28 / 31 Fotos
Donald Trump (1946-)
- During his time in office, Trump made more than 30,000 false or misleading statements. Some of his lies included his claim that the pandemic was "totally under control" and that Representative Ilhan Omar supported al-Qaeda.
© Getty Images
29 / 31 Fotos
Donald Trump (1946-)
- Trump also falsely claimed the 2020 election was stolen from him. Sources: (Business Insider) (Forbes) (CNN)
© Getty Images
30 / 31 Fotos
© Getty Images
0 / 31 Fotos
James K. Polk (1795–1849)
- In 1846, Polk told Congress that Mexico had invaded the US, but this wasn't true. In fact, his administration had ordered American soldiers occupy an area in Mexico near the Texas border.
© Getty Images
1 / 31 Fotos
James K. Polk (1795–1849)
- Then, when Mexican forces attacked the US soldiers, Polk claimed it was an attack against the US. This lie resulted in the Mexican-American War, which lasted until 1848.
© Getty Images
2 / 31 Fotos
Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865)
- While Lincoln didn't tell complete lies, he wasn't always truthful. In response to rumors that he was about to meet with Confederate representatives in Washington in 1865, he told the House that no representatives were on their way to Washington.
© Getty Images
3 / 31 Fotos
Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865)
- Lincoln wasn't lying, as they were on their way to Virginia, where he would later meet them. He didn't tell the whole truth at first because he didn't want his meeting to impact the passing of the 13th Amendment.
© Getty Images
4 / 31 Fotos
William McKinley (1843–1901)
- In 1898, McKinley declared Spain had attacked a US warship called the USS Maine in Cuba, killing 355 sailors. However, he had no evidence of this, and the cause of the sinking has never actually been proven.
© Getty Images
5 / 31 Fotos
William McKinley (1843–1901)
- While McKinley was reluctant to go to war with Spain, his insistence that the Spanish were behind the attack led to the Spanish-American War.
© Getty Images
6 / 31 Fotos
Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945)
- In 1940, FDR promised the nation that "your boys are not going to be sent into any foreign wars." However, he was already preparing to enter WWII. His declaration was only an election promise in order to win over Wendell Willkie.
© Getty Images
7 / 31 Fotos
Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945)
- The following year, in 1941, Roosevelt lied again. This time, he said a German submarine had attacked a US ship called the Greer without provocation. However, the Greer protected the British ships crossing the Atlantic Ocean and informed them about the submarine's whereabouts, as they had been following it. FDR only used the attack as a provocation to prepare the US to enter World War II.
© Getty Images
8 / 31 Fotos
Harry S. Truman (1884–1972)
- In August 1945, the Truman administration issued a press release after the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, describing it as "an important military base."
© Getty Images
9 / 31 Fotos
Harry S. Truman (1884–1972)
- Although it did have a military base, Hiroshima was home to 350,000 people. About 10,000 soldiers were killed in the blast, but most of the 125,000 people who died were civilians.
© Getty Images
10 / 31 Fotos
Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890–1969)
- In 1960, Eisenhower dismissed claims that the US had flown spy planes over the Soviet Union after one of its planes was shot down. Thinking the pilot was killed, he approved a number of statements that said it was a weather plane.
© Getty Images
11 / 31 Fotos
Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890–1969)
- But when the Soviet government announced they had one of the pilots, Gary Powers, in custody, Eisenhower had to admit he had been lying. "I didn't realize how high a price we were going to pay for that lie," Eisenhower said.
© Getty Images
12 / 31 Fotos
John F. Kennedy (1917–1963)
- On October 20, 1962, JFK told the press he had a cold. The truth was he was dealing with a crisis. Intelligence agents had discovered that the Soviets were creating a missile base in Cuba.
© Getty Images
13 / 31 Fotos
John F. Kennedy (1917–1963)
- To ensure the public didn't panic, he told the press he had to leave Chicago, where he was campaigning, due to having a fever. In reality, he had to attend a meeting back at the White House to decide whether to invade Cuba.
© Getty Images
14 / 31 Fotos
Lyndon B. Johnson (1908–1973)
- In 1964, Johnson said in a televised speech, "We still seek no wider war." This was in reference to the Gulf of Tonkin incident, in which North Vietnamese patrol boats had reportedly attacked US ships. In the same speech, he declared: "Aggression by terror against the peaceful villagers of South Vietnam has now been joined by open aggression on the high seas against the United States of America."
© Getty Images
15 / 31 Fotos
Lyndon B. Johnson (1908–1973)
- Johnson's administration claimed that the US ships were out on routine patrols, but they were actually on a secret mission in North Vietnamese territory. The attacks were used to increase the American presence in Vietnam. On top of that, Johnson withheld information from the public and Congress about how much was spent on the war and how badly it was going.
© Getty Images
16 / 31 Fotos
Richard Nixon (1913–1994)
- In 1970, Nixon lied to the country about a US covert bombing campaign in Cambodia. After the bombings were made public, Nixon let people believe the attacks on Cambodia were over, but they weren't. In a memo, Nixon wrote, "This is what we will say publicly but now, let's talk about what we will actually do."
© Getty Images
17 / 31 Fotos
Richard Nixon (1913–1994)
- Then in 1974, Nixon declared, "I'm not a crook" after being accused of obstructing justice and lying during the Watergate scandal. However, an investigation found evidence that he was indeed involved. Nixon later resigned as president instead of potentially being impeached.
© Getty Images
18 / 31 Fotos
Ronald Reagan (1911–2004)
- In 1986, Reagan promised the nation, "We did not—repeat, did not—trade weapons or anything else for hostages, nor will we." This was during the Iran-Contra Affair, where the US government secretly traded weapons with Iran in exchange for the release of American hostages being held by terrorists in Lebanon.
© Getty Images
19 / 31 Fotos
Ronald Reagan (1911–2004)
- The government then used the money from the weapons sale to fund anti-communist groups in Nicaragua. This meant the US had in fact traded arms for hostages. Nixon later said, "My heart and my best intentions still tell me that's true, but the facts and the evidence tell me it is not."
© Getty Images
20 / 31 Fotos
George H.W. Bush (1924–2018)
- In 1988, then-Republican presidential nominee George H.W. Bush said, "Read my lips: No new taxes." At the time, this was seen as a successful political slogan.
© Getty Images
21 / 31 Fotos
George H.W. Bush (1924–2018)
- But Bush was later forced to raise taxes during negotiations with a Senate and House controlled by Democrats. After he did so, the headline of the New York Post the next day read: "Read my Lips: I Lied."
© Getty Images
22 / 31 Fotos
Bill Clinton (1946-)
- In 1998, Clinton said before a federal grand jury, "I did not have sexual relations with that woman," referring to his intern Monica Lewinsky, with whom he did, in fact, have an affair.
© Getty Images
23 / 31 Fotos
Bill Clinton (1946-)
- Clinton was impeached for lying under oath, but he was acquitted by the Senate.
© Getty Images
24 / 31 Fotos
George W. Bush (1946-)
- Two months after the US invaded Iraq in 2003, George W. Bush claimed to have found weapons of mass destruction to justify the war. But they hadn't found anything.
© Getty Images
25 / 31 Fotos
George W. Bush (1946-)
- Bush later said, "We do not know whether or not [Iraq] has a nuclear weapon." However, then-CIA director George Tenet later testified that Bush was advised there were no nuclear weapons.
© Getty Images
26 / 31 Fotos
Barack Obama (1961-)
- In 2008, when Obama was pushing through his new Affordable Care Act, Obamacare, he promised people wouldn't need to change their plans if they didn't want to.
© Getty Images
27 / 31 Fotos
Barack Obama (1961-)
- In the end, millions of people had to change their plans. "I am sorry that they are finding themselves in this situation based on assurances they got from me," Obama said in 2013.
© Getty Images
28 / 31 Fotos
Donald Trump (1946-)
- During his time in office, Trump made more than 30,000 false or misleading statements. Some of his lies included his claim that the pandemic was "totally under control" and that Representative Ilhan Omar supported al-Qaeda.
© Getty Images
29 / 31 Fotos
Donald Trump (1946-)
- Trump also falsely claimed the 2020 election was stolen from him. Sources: (Business Insider) (Forbes) (CNN)
© Getty Images
30 / 31 Fotos
The numerous times American presidents lied to the nation
From secret affairs to reasons for going to war
© Getty Images
Former President Donald Trump is often accused of having a complete disregard for the truth. Yet some of his predecessors have also lied their fair share, ranging from bizarre to horrifying lies. From James K. Polk lying to invade Mexico, to then-presidential candidate George H.W. Bush famously promising no new taxes, click on for some of the most infamous lies American presidents have ever told.
RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
![Hollywood stars with their stunt doubles and stand-ins](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_66a21ab9668d0.jpg)
![You won't believe these celebrity yearbook photos](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_649982afcf942.jpg)
![Celebrity breakup hairstyles we'll never forget](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_669e5d0d7be1f.jpg)
![Famous Americans who married foreigners](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_669e80ab9abdf.jpg)
![These celebrities have had paranormal experiences!](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_5954c6f04201b.jpg)
![Brigitte Bardot: the complicated story of a beauty icon](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_660eb2d811b35.jpg)
![US presidents who didn't serve a second term](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_669e36738ac60.jpg)
![Spectacular gravesites of famous people](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_669a5e8a942cd.jpg)
![Intoxication station: celebrities under the influence on live TV](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_61164d7f1370e.jpg)
![How did the British royal couples meet?](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_669a627fb58c8.jpg)
![Celebs who worked for other celebs before they were famous](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_614b0ddb540ae.jpg)
![Straw hat inspo for the sunny days ahead](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_66991f3303087.jpg)
![The endless list of tragic Playmate deaths](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_6699169606322.jpg)
![Who's the sexiest man NOT alive?](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_618baea45460a.jpg)
![Surprising celebs who don't have a star on the Walk of Fame](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_6078465513445.jpg)
![Latino stars who don't speak Spanish](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_6141e0e18fb3f.jpg)
![The wackiest celebrity wedding dresses](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_668e96e29d928.jpg)
![The biggest child star success stories](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_609a77104427b.jpg)
![Celebs who worked at or attended summer camps](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_610279d8f387c.jpg)
![All the stars who have come out (so far) as LGBTQ+ in 2024](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_669522e3ae0e4.jpg)
![Dangerous attraction: celebrities who owned snakes](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_66912f5825648.jpg)
![The unexpected history of the mullet](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_5fe2197402ee1.jpg)
![Meet the muses of these world famous artists](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_64ae7ec92fe93.jpg)
![How celebrities spoil their kids](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_668ff00f7b5c1.jpg)
![Celebrities you didn't know were absolute nerds](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_668fe93346f46.jpg)
![These celebrities all play the piano](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_668fe36b08986.jpg)
![The best mops in rock and roll](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_5f8014dd23bdc.jpg)
![These celebrities are often mistaken for each other](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_64abfa5284ffd.jpg)
![The most fashionable period dramas of all time](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_668bf2fcd8520.jpg)
![Green carpet looks: Celebs who champion sustainable fashion](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_6446799be46a7.jpg)
![These celebrities got kicked out of school](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_668bc189a6398.jpg)
![Stars who were once homeless](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_668bbf5f2cc32.jpg)
![Timeless celebrity bomber jacket looks](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_615ae8e98be99.jpg)
![Celebrity couples and their first date stories](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_609e6033d6f89.jpg)
![The hottest Formula 1 drivers in history](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_6490a0734061e.jpg)
![Stars out of water: Celebs who can't swim](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_668805adbd994.jpg)
MOST READ
- Last Hour
- Last Day
- Last Week