Allergies don’t care whether you’re running errands or running for president.
Sneezing, congestion, itchy eyes, hay fever, pet allergies, hives and even potentially serious insect-sting reactions have affected some of the most recognizable political figures in American history.
In fact, allergy problems have followed presidents into the White House for generations. Some presidents received allergy shots. Others dealt with hay fever or asthma. More recently, detailed medical reports from presidential candidates and vice presidents have publicly documented seasonal allergies and other allergic conditions.
Here are some of the most famous politicians known to have dealt with allergies or closely related allergic disease.
1. Bill Clinton — Dust, Mold, Cat and Pollen Allergies
Former President Bill Clinton has one of the best-documented allergy histories of any American president.
During his 1992 presidential campaign, Clinton’s physicians reported that he had allergic rhinitis and was sensitive to several environmental allergens, including:
- House dust
- Mold spores
- Cat dander
- Grass pollen
- Weed pollen
His allergies were significant enough that he received regular allergen immunotherapy, commonly known as allergy shots.
This is particularly interesting because Clinton famously owned a cat named Socks while serving as president—despite his reported cat allergy.
Clinton’s experience is a good example of how someone may be allergic to several different indoor and outdoor allergens at the same time.
2. Ronald Reagan — Hay Fever and Pollen Allergy
President Ronald Reagan openly discussed his problems with hay fever.
During a 1984 interview about his health, Reagan explained that he received regular allergy injections, which he jokingly referred to as his “sneeze shots.”
He described Washington, D.C., and Sacramento as particularly difficult places for his allergies. Reagan also reported experiencing allergic stuffiness after returning to the White House and discussed possible indoor triggers.
For millions of people with seasonal allergic rhinitis, that experience is familiar. Pollen levels and environmental exposures can vary considerably from one location to another.
3. George H. W. Bush — Bee-Sting Allergy
President George H. W. Bush reportedly experienced allergic reactions to bee stings and received treatment for his insect allergy.
This type of allergy deserves special attention because venom allergy is different from ordinary seasonal allergy.
While pollen allergy usually produces symptoms such as sneezing, congestion and itchy eyes, an allergic reaction to a bee, yellow jacket, hornet or wasp sting can potentially cause a systemic reaction.
Possible symptoms include:
- Generalized hives
- Swelling away from the sting site
- Wheezing or difficulty breathing
- Throat tightness
- Dizziness
- A drop in blood pressure
- Anaphylaxis
People who have experienced a systemic reaction following an insect sting should be evaluated by an allergist.
4. Hillary Clinton — Seasonal Pollen Allergies
Former Secretary of State and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has a publicly documented history of seasonal pollen allergies.
Her physician’s medical summaries described allergies as a recurring issue throughout her life. During the 2016 presidential campaign, her physician also reported several allergy flares during the preceding year.
Clinton herself has discussed experiencing seasonal coughing associated with her allergies, particularly during the spring and fall.
Seasonal allergic rhinitis can produce more than just sneezing. Postnasal drainage, throat irritation and coughing can accompany nasal symptoms in some patients.
5. Joe Biden — Lifelong Seasonal Allergies
Former President Joe Biden also has a documented history of seasonal allergies.
A medical assessment released during his 2020 presidential campaign reported that Biden had experienced seasonal allergies and sinus congestion for most of his life.
His history illustrates another common problem: allergies and chronic nasal or sinus symptoms can overlap.
For someone with recurrent congestion, determining whether symptoms are caused by allergy, structural nasal problems, chronic sinus disease, infection or a combination of these factors can be important.
6. Kamala Harris — Pollen Allergies, Hives and Allergy Shots
Former Vice President Kamala Harris has one of the more detailed publicly released allergy histories among recent political figures.
A medical report released by her physician in 2024 described a history of seasonal allergies triggered by pollen, with symptoms including allergic rhinitis and conjunctivitis.
She also has a history of urticaria, or hives.
Perhaps most interesting from an allergy standpoint, her physician reported that Harris had undergone allergen immunotherapy for approximately three years, with substantial improvement in both her allergy symptoms and urticaria.
Allergen immunotherapy is used in appropriately selected patients to reduce sensitivity to clinically important environmental allergens.
7. John F. Kennedy — Asthma and Allergic Disease
President John F. Kennedy had a complicated medical history that included asthma and hypersensitivity-related disease.
Historical medical literature has specifically examined Kennedy’s asthma, allergies and treatment by an allergist.
Asthma is not automatically an allergic condition—there are allergic and nonallergic asthma phenotypes—but environmental allergens can be important triggers in susceptible patients.
Kennedy’s medical history is particularly interesting because modern reviews of previously unavailable medical records revealed that his health was considerably more complicated than the image of youthful vigor presented publicly during his presidency.
8. Theodore Roosevelt — Asthma and Reported Environmental Allergies
Long before becoming the 26th president, Theodore Roosevelt was famous for struggling with severe asthma as a child.
Historical accounts describe repeated nighttime breathing attacks that deeply affected his childhood.
Roosevelt eventually embraced exercise and what he called the “strenuous life,” but asthma remained an important part of his early medical history.
Historical allergy accounts have also associated Roosevelt’s respiratory symptoms with environmental triggers including animals and dust.
His story is an interesting reminder that asthma treatment has changed dramatically since the 19th century. Today, identifying allergic triggers can be an important part of evaluating selected patients with asthma.
9. Calvin Coolidge — Allergies and Asthma
President Calvin Coolidge has also been described in historical accounts as suffering from allergies and asthma attacks.
Treatments available during his era were dramatically different from modern allergy and asthma therapy.
Before contemporary inhalers, antihistamines and allergen immunotherapy became widely available, patients experimented with treatments that would seem unusual—and sometimes unsafe—by today’s standards.
Coolidge’s experience illustrates just how far the treatment of respiratory allergic disease has progressed.
10. Donald Trump — Seasonal Allergies
A 2025 White House physician’s medical report listed seasonal allergies in President Donald Trump’s medical history.
Seasonal allergies are among the most common forms of allergic disease and are typically triggered by airborne pollen from trees, grasses or weeds.
Symptoms can include:
- Sneezing
- Clear nasal drainage
- Nasal congestion
- Itchy nose
- Watery or itchy eyes
Exactly which pollen triggers symptoms varies substantially from person to person and by geographic location.
Why Are Seasonal Allergies So Common?
The politicians on this list are hardly unusual when it comes to allergies.
According to U.S. National Health Interview Survey data, approximately one in four American adults reported having a diagnosed seasonal allergy in 2024.
Seasonal allergic rhinitis occurs when the immune system identifies normally harmless airborne substances—most commonly pollen—as allergens.
In sensitized people, exposure can lead to inflammation involving the nose and eyes.
Common triggers include:
- Tree pollen
- Grass pollen
- Weed pollen
- Mold spores
Indoor allergens such as dust mites and animal dander can produce similar symptoms throughout the year.
Presidents and Allergy Shots
One particularly interesting theme among America’s political leaders is the use of allergen immunotherapy.
Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan received allergy injections, and Kamala Harris’s physician has reported treatment with allergen immunotherapy as well.
Unlike medications that primarily control allergy symptoms, allergen immunotherapy is intended to gradually modify a patient’s immune response to specific allergens.
It is not appropriate for every patient, but it can be considered when clinically important environmental allergies remain troublesome despite avoidance measures and medications.
Can Allergies Cause a Chronic Cough?
Yes. Allergies frequently affect more than the nose.
Allergic rhinitis can be associated with:
- Postnasal drainage
- Frequent throat clearing
- Nasal obstruction
- Cough
- Itchy or watery eyes
- Poor sleep
- Fatigue
However, chronic cough has many possible causes. Asthma, reflux, medications, respiratory infection and other lung conditions may produce similar symptoms, so persistent cough should not automatically be blamed on allergies.
When Should You See an Allergist?
Consider seeing an allergist if you regularly experience:
- Persistent sneezing or nasal congestion
- Itchy or watery eyes
- Seasonal coughing
- Symptoms around cats or dogs
- Reactions after bee or wasp stings
- Recurrent hives
- Wheezing or asthma symptoms
- Allergy symptoms that are not controlled with usual treatment
Allergy testing can sometimes identify specific environmental, food or insect triggers and help determine whether avoidance, medication or allergen immunotherapy may be appropriate.
Frequently Asked Questions About Politicians and Allergies
Which president had the most documented allergies?
Bill Clinton has one of the most extensively reported allergy histories among recent presidents. His physicians documented allergic rhinitis with sensitivity to dust, mold, cat dander and multiple pollens.
Did Bill Clinton receive allergy shots?
Yes. Contemporary medical reports indicate that Clinton received allergen immunotherapy for his environmental allergies.
Which president was allergic to bee stings?
George H. W. Bush was publicly reported to have reactions to bee stings.
Did Ronald Reagan have allergies?
Yes. Reagan personally discussed suffering from hay fever and receiving regular allergy injections while president.
Does Joe Biden have allergies?
Yes. A publicly released medical assessment reported a longstanding history of seasonal allergies and sinus congestion.
Does Kamala Harris have allergies?
Yes. Her physician reported seasonal pollen allergies causing rhinitis and conjunctivitis, as well as a history of urticaria. She also received allergen immunotherapy.
Does Hillary Clinton have allergies?
Yes. Public medical records have documented longstanding seasonal pollen allergies.
Did John F. Kennedy have asthma?
Yes. Kennedy’s asthma and hypersensitivity history have been discussed in published medical literature based on historical records.
Which presidents had asthma?
Historical accounts document asthma in presidents including Theodore Roosevelt, Calvin Coolidge and John F. Kennedy. Asthma can be allergic or nonallergic, so having asthma does not necessarily mean that every attack was caused by an allergen.
Allergies Can Affect Anyone — Even Presidents
From Theodore Roosevelt’s childhood asthma to Bill Clinton’s multiple environmental allergies and modern political leaders receiving allergy immunotherapy, allergic disease has appeared repeatedly throughout American political history.
The broader lesson has little to do with politics: allergies are extremely common and can affect anyone.
For patients experiencing recurrent nasal symptoms, coughing, hives, asthma or reactions to foods, animals or insect stings, determining the actual trigger can make treatment far more targeted than simply treating symptoms whenever they appear.
Kamala Harris’s Allergies and Hives (her medical summary)
Donald Trump’s Seasonal Allergies