Presidential Family Members

Families Of Presidents: Any “Bad Apples” Before Donald Trump Family?

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With the growing likelihood of federal prison in the future for Donald Trump Jr., Jared Kushner, and maybe even Ivanka Trump, with all engaged in serious corruption, the question arises if this has ever happened before.

That is, have family members been involved in criminal activities, which undermined or embarrassed the President in their family line?

The answer, as far as can be researched, is a negative.

Yes, Roger Clinton, half brother of Bill Clinton, was pardoned by his brother for cocaine possession and drug trafficking when the President left office in 2001, and had served some time in federal prison, and also had two DUI arrests in 2001 and 2016.

Yes, Billy Carter, brother of Jimmy Carter, was a drunkard, who had a loose mouth, and became too close to Libyan dictator Muammar Gadaffi, eventually registering as an agent of a foreign government. The President separated himself from his brother, and claimed he had no influence on him, clearly an embarrassing time for Jimmy Carter.

Yes, Ted Kennedy, brother of John F. Kennedy, was involved in the Chappaquiddick incident, which led to the death of Mary Jo Kopechne, undermining the possibility of the Massachusetts Senator being able to be nominated and run for President in 1980.

Relatives of some Presidents were known to be alcoholics, and some committed suicide, and some were engaged in corrupt business dealings, but none made it to the front pages and major attention, and are hard to track.

So Donald Trump’s family is unique in its scandalous and corrupt nature, in a manner which will condemn the Trump relatives in history.

Presidential Family Members And The American Presidency

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The growing influence of Donald Trump’s daughter, Ivanka, and her husband, Jared Kushner, is a significant factor in Donald Trump’s approach to the Presidency.

His reliance on and loyalty to his daughter and son in law demonstrates the power of family.

Other Presidents have also utilized family members as follows:

John Adams relied on John Quincy Adams as Ambassador to Prussia.

Woodrow Wilson had his second wife, Edith Bolling Galt Wilson, conduct cabinet meetings after he had a stroke in October 1919.

Franklin D. Roosevelt relied on his wife, Eleanor Roosevelt, for advice on so many domestic and foreign policy issues, and in his last two years, his daughter, Anna, also was available to assist him.

Dwight D. Eisenhower used his son John Eisenhower as a staff aide in the White House.

John F. Kennedy had the most prominent relative in his brother, Robert F. Kennedy, serving as Attorney General of the United States for the entire time of the Kennedy Presidency.

Lyndon B. Johnson leaned on his wife, Lady Bird Johnson, for much advice.

Ronald Reagan followed the advice of his wife, Nancy Reagan, on a host of issues, including developing a relationship with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev.

Bill Clinton utilized his wife, Hillary Clinton, on a proposed national health care program, as well as a host of other issues.

Barack Obama capitalized on the advice of wife Michelle Obama, as they were a very close couple.

But notice how mostly it was First Ladies who were engaged in helping their husband, with only John Quincy Adams, Anna Roosevelt, John Eisenhower (children) and RFK (brother) as important aides to the President, and Ivanka and Jared are in many ways unique in their growing role, with only RFK being of an equal or greater significance.