Steven M. Gillon’s latest book, Presidents At War, explores the impact of World War II on American presidents from Dwight D. Eisenhower to George H.W. Bush. Aside from politics, it tackles their personal lives, especially that of John F. Kennedy and his secret affairs that could have changed the course of history.
Gillon uncovered two of the most infamous extramarital affairs by JFK, one with a correspondent believed to have been a Nazi spy and another German woman reportedly associated with the Communist bloc. The two affairs raised red flags with the US authorities and nearly jeopardized his political future.
JFK’s affair with a suspected Nazi spy
In 1941, Kennedy fell for Inga Arvad, a reporter who had been acquainted with top Nazis. The FBI suspected she might be a German spy, and she was kept under surveillance. She had even been a guest of Hitler at the 1936 Olympics, which had fueled suspicions.
When the affair came to light, he was instantly demoted to a desk position in South Carolina, and top military commanders discussed removing him from the Navy. His influential family intervened and had him assigned to the position of a PT boat captain instead. Nothing, however, proved that Arvad was a spy, and the affair ended before JFK became president.
JFK’s rumored affair with another German woman raised alarms
There were rumors in 1963 that JFK had a second affair with Ellen Rometsch, a stunning East German woman suspected of having ties to Communist intelligence. Rumors stated she was invited to high-society gatherings with Washington’s elite and even made an appearance at the White House.
The FBI warned Attorney General Robert Kennedy of the threat of scandal, and Rometsch was deported quietly to West Germany to avoid political fallout before the Congress could take action. J. Edgar Hoover assured lawmakers there was no tangible proof of her espionage involvement, but tales of her romance with the president never quite faded.