The Irish Prime Minister has apologized for a comment apparently referring to Bill Clinton’s affair with Monica Lewinsky during a speech in Washington.
Leo Varadkar was speaking to the Washington Ireland Program and talking about his experience as an intern in the American capital in 2000, under the presidency of bill clinton.
It was two years after news of the president’s affair with the White House intern shook the world and ultimately led to his impeachment trial.
Speaking today, the Irish leader jokingly remarked that he was doing an internship in the US capital at a time ‘when some parents would have had reason to worry about what would happen to interns in Washington’.
The comment was met with some laughter in the room, but was quickly deemed an embarrassing misstep, especially as the Clintons are due to visit Ireland next month as part of the Accord’s 25th anniversary celebrations. of Good Friday.
A spokesperson for Mr Varadkar later issued an apology to the traveling press kit.
“At the Washington Ireland Program event today, the Taoiseach reminisced about his time in Washington DC as an intern 23 years ago.
“He made an ill-judged off-the-cuff remark which he regrets. He apologizes for any offense caused to anyone involved.”
Mr. Varadkar had met Hillary Clinton at another event in Washington hours before his comments.
