Linda Tripp - Definition and Overview

Linda Tripp (born November 24, 1949) is an American woman who was a central figure in the Lewinsky scandal of 1998 and 1999 that led to the impeachment of U.S. President Bill Clinton.

Although 24 years older than Monica Lewinsky, Tripp became Lewinsky's friend at the government office in Washington, D.C. where they both worked. After Lewinsky revealed to Tripp that she had had a physical relationship with President Clinton, Tripp began to record her phone conversations with Lewinsky while encouraging Lewinsky to document details of the relationship.

Tripp then gave these tapes to then-Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr, who launched an investigation into the Clinton-Lewinsky relationship, looking for potential incidents of perjury based on Clinton's testimony in the lawsuit Paula Jones had brought against Clinton.

Example Usage of Linda