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Jackie Kennedy’s intuition regarding her husband’s alleged infidelities was reportedly razor sharp, and according to a new book, Marilyn Monroe triggered those alarms like no other. “JFK: Public, Private, Secret,” by J.
Randy Taraborrelli, claims the former first lady confronted her husband before his 45th birthday celebration in 1962 – the same night Monroe delivered her sultry rendition of “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” at Madison Square Garden.
Jackie reportedly warned JFK, “This one’s different. This one could be trouble.”
Unlike JFK’s other alleged dalliances, Jackie seemingly sensed a genuine threat to their public image, and possibly their marriage, from Monroe. She pointedly skipped the event, opting to attend a horse show in Virginia with their children.
Her mother later offered the rather blunt assessment: “You are the first lady. She’s just an actress.”
While the Hollywood star was frequently linked to the President, concrete evidence of an affair has never emerged. Monroe’s longtime friend and publicist, Pat Newcomb, insists in the book that there was no affair. Newcomb also notes Monroe’s penchant for embellishment, making it difficult to discern fact from fiction.
Based on interviews conducted over 25 years, the biography portrays Jackie as typically composed, yet acutely aware of the potential disruption Monroe represented. The book also reveals that after Monroe’s death later that year, Jackie attributed the tragedy not to fame or the press, but to “the men in her life.”
Monroe’s rise to fame in the 1950s, fueled by films like “Some Like It Hot” and “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,” masked personal struggles with fame, addiction, and mental health. Her death in August 1962, officially ruled a probable suicide, ignited enduring rumors and conspiracy theories.
Just over a year later, President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. Like Monroe’s death, the assassination continues to fuel speculation. These two iconic figures, whose lives ended so tragically and so close together, remain objects of fascination decades later.