Did Bill Clinton have an Illegitimate son Danney Williams? Viral claim debunked

Dom Lucre (@dom_lucre), a well-known media personality with over 1.6 million followers on X, reignited the popular conspiracy theory surrounding Bill Clinton's alleged illegitimate son. 

The popular content creator announced that he will interview the 42nd U.S. President’s alleged son, Danney Williams, soon. Lucre tweeted about exposing Hillary Clinton, as he wrote: 

“It’s official I will be interviewing Bill Clinton’s alleged son Danny Williams and we will be exposing the secrets of Hillary Clinton and how far she went to hide him from the world. We will be exposing what is really going on in this simulation.”

Even though you abandoned me and only took care of Chelsea, I still want to thank you for giving me life. Happy Father's Day @billclinton. pic.twitter.com/EMKla9lPM1

— Danney Williams (@danney_williams) June 18, 2017

The story about Bill Clinton having an allegedly illegitimate son with a prostitute emerged in the 1990s. According to the Daily Mail, The Globe interviewed a woman named Bobbie Ann Williams. The woman narrated how her alleged relationship with then-Arkansas Governor began in the ‘80s, and she had a son named Danney Williams in 1985. 

In 1999, the Drudge Report and Time reported that Star Magazine arranged a paternity test using the former President’s DNA analysis from the 1998 Starr Report. The tabloid also got samples from Bobby and her then-13-year-old child. However, the paternity test results were negative, and it was concluded that Bill Clinton and Danney Williams were not related. 

Star Magazine did not publish the story after the conspiracy theory that Bill Clinton was the father of Danney Williams was debunked. Then-editor in chief Phil Bunton told Time: 

“We investigate dozens of stories every week, and if they don't prove to be true, we don't run them.” 

While the test’s precision has been questioned over the years, the claims made by Danney Williams and other outlets have remained unproven. 

The claims around Bill Clinton being Danney Williams’ father resurfaced before the 2016 election

In October 2016, a month before the presidential election, the Daily Mail published a story about the conspiracy theory stemming from the 1992 Globe interview. Later, outlets such as Newsmax, the Drudge Report, and others also published articles based on the unconfirmed rumors. At the time, Danney Williams also released a nine-minute-long short film, accusing Hillary Clinton of banishing him. 

In the documentary titled Banished: The Untold Story of Danney Williams, the then-30-year-old said: 

“I have no doubt that I am Bill Clinton's son. It was common knowledge. Everyone in Arkansas knew. Everywhere I went, they point, ‘That's Bill Clinton's son right there. He look like him, don't he? The ears, the mouth, the chin, the teeth, the eyes, the nose.’ I see him in me. You can see a black Bill Clinton.”

Discussing his claim, Danney described it as unfair and hurtful that his alleged father did not acknowledge him. The short film also featured an interview with Williams’ aunt, Lucia, who raised him after his mother went to prison. They recount how Lucia visited the Arkansas governor's residence and was chased out. Danney Williams remarked: 

“Hillary, she had guys chase him off the property/ I read history basically goes back to slave owners when they have a child with one of their slaves and the wife try to have them banished off the plantation. What century is this? It just wasn't right. It just wasn’t right.” 

Danney claimed that his family needed child support at the time, after her mother went to prison. He asserted that his mother faced threats, but also added: 

“My mother did receive seven $100 bills a month in the mailbox. even presents on Christmas that was delivered to my home by state troopers. So I felt he was trying to be a part of my life and then when he became president everything stopped.” 

Danney Williams asserted that when Bill Clinton became the U.S. President in 1995, he was put into foster care by the State of Arkansas. He said: 

“I lived in foster homes. It made me feel horrible cuz I know his child Chelsea was well taken care of and we was house to house hungry at nights. And to know that my father was the president, it hurts.”

He also refuted the DNA test arranged by Star Magazine, calling it “bogus.” Williams also mentioned reaching out to the Clintons multiple times, but added that he didn’t receive a response.