Politicians With Questionable Personal Hygiene Habits

Among the many things that politicians tend to be known for, what's less on the radar but well worth a little extra investigation are their questionable hygiene habits. Who knew these folks, the biggest decision-makers in the world throughout the course of history, could be guilty of such jaw-dropping choices when it came to their wellbeing?

These aren't just ordinary, run-of-the-mill errors in judgment, either. In many cases, these are properly thought-out decisions that left others completely stunned. From the ancient royals who forgo bathing and brushing as a matter of principle to the modern-day politicians who choose to eat with the most unlikely of utensils, these habits are undeniably surprising. 

What's more, many of them were completely unheard of until now. While you may be familiar with the occasional quirk or foible committed by a well-known politician, these are so out of left field that they will leave you wondering why anyone would make such a choice. It's all in good fun, of course, but these questionable hygiene habits are sure to raise a few eyebrows.

It's not every day that one strides down an airplane aisle barefoot. Yet that's what Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. did when he traveled from Portland to Dallas in November 2023. A photograph snapped by Heartland Institute conservative analyst Justin Haskins showed Kennedy walking down a decidedly dirty floor. Haskins explained on the institute's podcast (via Yahoo! News), "The floor is covered with food, and, like, disgusting food! He's walking to the restroom with no shoes and no socks on... And I'm thinking this guy is a presidential candidate! He doesn't wear shoes and socks [on] a plane, in First Class? What is this?"

Kennedy caught wind of the hoopla — understandably so, given that the photo went viral and he was inundated with questions — and issued a joking response. "I want to thank you for all that you do to keep politicians honest, to make sure that they comply with all the norms of our society. Even for me for calling me out for going barefoot on an airplane. That was inexcusable and I can assure you that will never happen again" (via CBS Austin).

However, Kennedy's bare-footed faux pas offers a lesson. Explains Jagdish Khubchandani, a New Mexico State University public health professor to Business Insider, "This is a very unhygienic tendency with potential for infection if someone has skin cuts and injuries on their foot." Medical professionals advise passengers to wear shoes and socks on the plane at all times.

"Pudding fingers" is hardly a flattering nickname, but it's the one bestowed upon Florida governor Ron DeSantis following an unusual incident that took place on a private plane. According to the Daily Beast, while traveling from Florida to Washington, D.C. in March 2019, DeSantis reportedly scooped up some chocolate pudding dessert with three fingers. It's hard to imagine there was nary a spoon to be found on the flight — even a fork could support some thick pudding! 

The sad visual did little to help DeSantis' failed 2023 presidential run, as protestors yelled "pudding fingers!" when he campaigned in Iowa. To make matters worse, DeSantis denied the incident to some degree, telling Piers Morgan that he didn't remember committing the disastrous dining decision but was okay with the insult. "Like, is that really the best you've got? Okay, bring it on!"

While it's perfectly normal to eat some types of foods with bare hands, others are quite obviously best consumed with proper utensils. Such is the case with pudding, a decidedly messy food that's difficult to artfully eat with any number of fingers, let alone three. Using a spoon simply makes for a pleasant, hygienic experience in any environment — but especially on a plane when surrounded by staff.

In the continuing tradition of politicians eating weirdly, Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota didn't have access to a fork on her flight to South Carolina — so she resorted to munching her greens with a comb. While unusual, the senator's choice may have been borne out of frustration. The aide who had brought the salad for her hadn't included a fork, and there were no utensils on the plane, either.

In response to the news that there would be no forks for her salad, Klobuchar reportedly reached into her bag, unearthed a comb, and proceeded to use the hair styling tool to enjoy her meal (per The New York Times). Post-salad, she requested that an aide clean the pseudo utensil. It makes for a brow-raising story, and while it was the subject of much mirth for the general public, even Klobuchar found humor in the situation.

"How did everyone like the salad?" she quipped at a dinner at the Gridiron Club in Washington, D.C. in 2019, per CNN. "I thought it was OK, but it needed just a bit of scalp oil and a pinch of dandruff, would be a little better."

File this under "weird but (probably) true." President Lyndon B. Johnson is said to have conducted many of his meetings from the comfort of his bathroom, according to the book "Presidents: A Biographical Dictionary" by Neil Hamilton (via HistoryFacts). Aides and advisors would literally join him inside the compact space, whether he was toileting or showering. He was so committed to the routine that he invited his advisors to come closer if he couldn't hear them speak. This reportedly backfired at least once, when national security advisor McGeorge Bundy narrowly avoided landing into the seated Johnson's lap during a briefing.

The same applied when Johnson showered. His aides would remain inside the bathroom while the commander in chief soaped up — and even when he toweled himself dry. True to form, Johnson also had telephones installed in bathrooms situated throughout the White House, so he wouldn't miss a beat even when using the facilities. 

It's said that Johnson once stripped completely while talking to reporters on Air Force One, never once pausing to question the potentially unusual nature of the moment. To top it all off, during many morning meetings, Johnson reportedly stayed in bed with his wife in the White House bedroom, while aides and advisors stood right in front of them to give him important updates.

It may not be gross per se, but one might consider slathering petroleum jelly all over the scalp to be a questionable decision. At the very least, it would leave the skin considerably tacky. But Calvin Coolidge, the 30th president of the United States, was more than just fond of the habit on occasion. It was a regular part of his routine. He believed that having the substance massaged into his dome while he was at breakfast was somehow beneficial to his health.

That Coolidge consumed his breakfast in bed may have been part of the allure, as he may have felt relaxed and pampered as someone kneaded his scalp while he dined in comfort. This alone may have been the greatest health benefit of all, as, at least in the modern world, there is no other significant value to adopting a petroleum jelly morning massage habit.

It's worth noting, though, that Vaseline was considerably popular at the time for its purported scalp benefits. Advertisements from the early 20th century tout Vaseline as a hair tonic to "stimulate the lazy glands" of the scalp and prevent common issues like dandruff and dry scalp. 

Benjamin Franklin was so much more than a Founding Father of the United States. He was also widely regarded, to put it mildly, as a writer and a philosopher — and, perhaps less widely known, as an air-bather. Dubious as it sounds, written accounts by Franklin himself confirm that he had a certain penchant for airing out his body.

According to lore, Franklin would disrobe in entirety, then proceed to walk to the nearest window and allow the breeze and the sun to "bathe" his body. He apparently performed this somewhat questionable habit year-round because he wasn't fond of taking actual water baths. "I have found it much more agreeable to my constitution to bathe in another element, I mean cold air," he explained in a letter (via Slate). "With this view I rise early almost every morning, and sit in my chamber without any clothes whatever, half an hour or an hour, according to the season, either reading or writing."

Per History Oasis, Franklin didn't just enjoy air baths because they provided reprieve from water. He thought the brisk air was invigorating and felt that it could stimulate his mind. Whether it was warm or cool, Franklin could be found air-bathing whenever the mood struck. Could he have been onto something? While unlikely to catch on in modern day anytime soon, the habit is admittedly not unlike naturism (sunbathing in one's birthday suit).

There once was a man who would be king, and that king showered a grand total of three times in his entire life. At least that's the rather alarming legend that revolves around King Louis XIV of France. Only three baths would ever wash over the man once known as the Sun King. And some say it wasn't even three baths, but only two — or, in one version of the tale, a shocking zero. Famous for his lavish lifestyle, Louis had a surprisingly deep-seated fear of bathing.

His aversion to soap and water could be traced to the medical beliefs of the time. In the 17th century, many thought that bathing opened the pores and made the body susceptible to contracting various diseases (via News 18). The ever-cautious Louis was extremely committed to his ways and beliefs, and he certainly wasn't about to take any chances where his health was concerned. Instead, he opted to mask any odors with copious amounts of cologne to ensure that he smelled nothing but fresh all the time, even if he hadn't exactly seen a shower of any kind in his lifetime.

It's safe to say the Sun King's personal hygiene routine was decidedly less than regal. Fortunately, ancient beliefs about baths have long fallen by the wayside, and most people recognize that bathing is indeed an excellent — and very civilized — habit.

Even on his deathbed, King Charles II was of the belief that drinking something called "King's Drops" would save his life. The concoction supposedly consisted of a rather bizarre and decidedly unappetizing blend of alcohol and a whopping five pounds' worth of pulverized human skulls. The elixir earned quite a reputation and went the 17^th-century equivalent of viral, spreading like wildfire across England as people eagerly sipped the ghastly drink to improve both their physical and mental health.

The idea was that if it was good enough for the king, it had to be good for the commoners, too. While it seemed like sound enough logic at the time, the King's Drops weren't quite all that they were reportedly cracked up to be. That was especially unfortunate for the king himself, as his health continued to decline despite the fact that he drank the concoction all day long. In fact, some even theorized that his drops habit may have accelerated his demise. 

While sipping such a concoction today would be considered newsworthy for all of the wrong reasons, in those days it was wildly common to follow in the footsteps of aristocrats' unusual approaches to wellness. As medical science became more precise, such practices eventually fell completely off the radar.

Mao Zedong was a dictator — but it turns out he was also a rather proud anti-brusher and dodger of baths. The infamous Chinese leader had a questionable hygiene routine that could just barely be considered hygienic in the first place. He would forgo baths completely, instead opting for his bodyguards to wipe down his body with rags or sponges simply to avoid the tub.

His teeth were no better, and it's possible they were even worse. They had long since turned a rather putrid shade of green. While not quite the picture of dental health, Mao took a unique approach to oral hygiene. Instead of reaching for the toothbrush and toothpaste, he would simply rinse out his mouth with tea and chew on tea leaves, believing that these habits would actually keep his teeth and mouth "clean."

It's said that Mao's personal physician even suggested that the dictator brush his teeth once in a while. Mao reportedly replied, "A tiger never brushes his teeth" (via The New York Times). While this unconventional approach to self-care may have worked for him, it's safe to say that it didn't catch on anywhere in the world. Most are quite content to shower and brush — and to leave the tea in the cup where it belongs.