Introducing a new series: History Tea!

Warren G. Harding wasn’t just America’s 29th president, he was also one of the most scandal-ridden. Corruption rocked his administration, and his private life was even messier: a decades-long affair with Carrie Phillips (their very steamy love letters were finally released in 2014) and a secret child with Nan Britton, confirmed by DNA testing in 2015.

In 1923, Harding suddenly died while on a West Coast tour. His wife Florence refused an autopsy, fueling rumors that she poisoned him to cover up the scandals. Most historians agree it was natural causes—but the mix of love letters, affairs, and conspiracy theories left Harding with one of the most complicated legacies of any U.S. president.

What strikes me is how familiar this feels. Harding’s death sparked endless speculation because there was a void of information. A century later, we see the same thing play out with Donald Trump: murmurs about mystery hospital visits and health cover-ups.

In both cases, secrecy creates conspiracy. The difference? Harding’s story was locked in history. Trump’s is unfolding in real time.

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