Why People Are Convinced Chelsea Clinton Isn't Actually Bill's Daughter

Chelsea Clinton is one of the most recognizable former first children as the only child of former president Bill Clinton and former presidential candidate Hilary Clinton. Though primarily kept out of the public eye during her father's time in office, Chelsea opted for a career in the spotlight when she became an NBC correspondent in 2011. She has also been a prominent member of the Clinton Foundation and was a vocal campaigner during her mother's run for the presidency. That, coupled with her parents' notoriety — particularly Bill's affair with Monica Lewinsky and subsequent impeachment and Hillary's email scandal — makes it no surprise that Chelsea has remained susceptible to media scrutiny.

One of the most salacious rumors she's faced is the theory that she is not Bill Clinton's biological daughter. In 2014, Larry Nichols, a former aide of Bill's, came forward and alleged that the former president once admitted that he was sterile due to a childhood case of measles. He supposedly revealed that Chelsea's biological father was former mayor Webster Hubbell of Little Rock, Arkansas, with whom Hillary once worked. Nichols worked for Bill when he was governor and filed a lawsuit against him after being fired. He ramped up his allegations when Bill ran for president in 1992, claiming the Arkansas native had had five extramarital affairs while governor. Nichols continued to lambast the Clintons in the media for several years, even once claiming he had committed murders at the behest of the family and then later taking back his statement.

While Larry Nichols' claims couldn't be verified, some believe he was telling the truth. One user on X, formerly Twitter, posted a side-by-side image of Chelsea Clinton and Webster's daughter, Rebecca Hubbell, noting their glaring likeness. One reply stated, "They look like twins," whereas others suspected the image of Hubbell had been altered. Another user took things a step farther by posting a split image of Chelsea alongside Webster, highlighting the similarities of their facial features. Despite the whispers, the parties involved haven't spoken out on the topic.

one is chelsea clinton. one is rebecca hubbell daughter of hillary's former boss webb hubbell https://t.co/K5aOOaJe6e pic.twitter.com/slCV1hMTqZ

— Gio DeBatta 🍸 (@GDebatta) January 19, 2024

In 2015, Chelsea Clinton was at a book signing to promote her first book, "It's Your World: Get Informed, Get Inspired & Get Going!" targeted at kids ages 10 to 14. While there, the topic of Chelsea's parentage came up. An attendee reportedly asked her, "Has your mother ever told you that you're the daughter of Webb Hubbell and not Bill Clinton?" (via CBS News). Chelsea responded, "I'm so proud to be my parents' daughter," before swiftly changing the subject. This appears to be the only time she has publicly addressed — or sidestepped — the rumor.

Surprisingly, Chelsea Clinton isn't the only child rumored to have been born outside of Bill and Hillary Clinton's marriage. In the late '90s, a man named Danney Williams came forward claiming to be Bill Clinton's son. He and his family were native to Little Rock, Arkansas, and Danney alleged he was the product of a tryst between Bill and his mother, Bobbie Williams, a former sex worker. As a result of the claims, a DNA test was conducted to confirm Danney's paternity, and the results excluded Bill as a possibility, putting the issue to rest — at least temporarily.

The topic of Danney Williams resurfaced in 2016 when Hillary Clinton was running for president. Several media outlets ran with the story, with some even calling the first DNA test — commissioned by the tabloid "Star" — into question. The same year, Danney announced he would file a paternity suit and even reached out to Monica Lewinsky for access to Bill's DNA, though she never responded. As of 2024, Danney Williams continues to express his belief that Bill Clinton is his biological father, with both his Instagram and X bios reading, "I'm the son of the 42nd president."