The families of those aspiring to win and hold the highest office in the country generally understand their respective duties, toe the line and refrain from anything that might harm their relative’s chances.
Every family has its wildcards, however, and US presidents are no exception.
From public acts of indecency to implicating their brothers in geopolitical scandals, here are five presidential siblings who prove that, despite being commander in chief, no one can embarrass you like your family.
Malik Obama
A half-brother of the 44th president, Malik is not a very supportive sibling Barack ObamaThe pair were initially close after their first meeting in Washington D.C. in 1985, though may have wished.
Malik became the best man in Barak and Michelle’s Married in 1992, led the celebrations after his brother’s 2008 election in Kenya, and said in 2013 GQ It was he who convinced the former president to get in touch with his African roots.
However, the Kenyan-American businessman has shut down the brotherhood, using his name and high platform to discredit his brother’s records and vocal endorsements. Donald Trump.
The problems started in 2016, when Malik said New York Post that he was “deeply disappointed” by his brother’s record as president, and blamed him for the death of Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, whom he called one of his closest friends.
Malik has since endorsed Donald Trump in 2016, 2020 and 2024 election.
He was also among numerous surprise guests – incl The women who accused Bill Clinton of sexual harassment – Invited by Trump to the 2016 presidential debate.
In 2020, Malik’s name was in the news again, when he revived a conspiracy theory about his half-brother’s citizenship, sharing an image of a fake birth certificate on him. Twitter which lists Barack’s birthplace as Mombasa, Kenya.
Malik on Wednesday Official endorsement announced For Trump’s election bid.
“I’m Malik Obama. I’m registered Republicans And I’m voting for President Donald Trump,” he wrote on X.
Roger Clinton Jr
younger half-brother of BSick, Roger Clinton earned the codename “headache.” Secret Service For embarrassment he caused Silton
In 1985, while Bill was serving as governor of Arkansas, Roger served a year behind bars after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
Roger then spent much of his brother’s two terms trying to capitalize on Clinton’s name in music and film careers.
Despite acting in B-grade masterpieces like Pumpkinhead II: Blood Wings And Bio-domeRoger’s thespian endeavors never gathered much steam and his musical successes peaked in 1999 with a tour of Pyongyang, North Korea.
Negative media attention again surrounded Roger in 2001, when it was revealed that he had received $50,000 and a gold Rolex from the children of Rosario Gambino, a convicted drug trafficker and member of a crime family, in exchange for lobbying for his brother’s pardon. was
Despite all this, Bill was still his brother’s keeper, and in one of his last acts as president, pardoned Roger’s 1985 cocaine conviction.
Roger was quick to his brother’s mercy, only to be arrested for drunk driving a month later.
Donald Nixon
Donald Nixon, born Francis, was the younger brother Richard Nixonand had dreams of matching his brother’s political achievements with success in the fast-food industry.
In 1957, when his brother Dwight D. While serving as Eisenhower’s vice president, Donald allegedly received a $205,000 donation from engineer and business magnate Howard Hughes to bail out his ailing California restaurant.
When the drive-in went bankrupt, Hughes’ move was seen as an attempt to buy influence with Richard Nixon, a suspicion that stymied his unsuccessful 1960 reelection bid.
Allegations of corruption continued to surround Donald during Richard’s tenure as president and, during the 1973 Watergate investigation, it was revealed that Richard had even ordered the Secret Service to wiretap his brother’s phone.
Neil Bush
no brother George W. and to the son George HWNeil Bush’s career has been defined by a number of financial scandals.
In the 1980s, while his father was vice president, Neil Bush served as a director of Silverado Savings & Loan, whose 1988 collapse cost taxpayers more than $1 billion.
For their role in the Silverado’s failure, the U.S. Bush was investigated by the Office of Thrift Supervision, which determined in 1991 that Bush had used his position to secure loans for individuals he failed to disclose to colleagues as business partners, and banned him from the banking industry. .
In 1999, Bush was also accused of insider trading, having made nearly $800,000 in a single day after selling his stock in Coppin Corporation on the same day the company struck a lucrative deal with Japanese electronics company JVC.
Neil maintained that he had no prior knowledge of the deal, but his ability to spread the scandal continued even after his brother took over in 2001.
In 2002, Bush signed a consulting contract with Grace Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp, the latter admitting that he had no knowledge of the semiconductor industry, and was promised $2 million in stock by the company over five years.
During the campaign for his divorce from Sharon Bush in 2003, Neil also admitted to several extramarital affairs during a trip to Thailand and Hong Kong.
Billy Carter
Perhaps no one personifies the embarrassing sibling rivalry more than the 39th president’s younger brother, Billy Carter. Jimmy Carter.
Billy was the complete opposite of his pious brother, whose Southern baptism and abstinence from alcohol threw William Alton Carter’s extreme lifestyle into sharper relief.
Engaging in public displays of glee such as urinating on the runway of an Atlanta airport in full view of reporters, or promoting the failed “Billy Bear” campaign in an attempt to capitalize on his boozy image, President Carter once remarked that he was easier to control. The US The Senate than his own brother.
Although his behavior was often humorous, Billy became embroiled in a geopolitical scandal in the late 1970s, after becoming a de facto envoy to the Libyan government.
Billy visited the North African state several times, organized a Libyan delegation in Atlanta, and later received a $200,000 loan. Muammar Gaddafi’s The US In return for facilitating oil trade with the Govt
Jimmy expressed “concern” over his brother’s actions, which sparked a 1980 Senate subcommittee investigation into “the activities of individuals representing the interests of foreign governments.”
The whole affair, known as “Billigate”. The Washington PostStill stands as one of the most notorious examples of fraternity embarrassment.
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