Former US President Bill Clinton Hospitalized, 'Awake and Alert,' Says Staff

Former US President Bill Clinton, 78, was admitted to MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C., following the development of a fever, according to a statement from his deputy chief of staff, Angel Urena."Former President Clinton is doing well," Urena said in an interview with CNN, while he stays in good spirits and hopes to return home by Christmas. The former president is reported to be "awake and alert" as doctors perform tests and monitor his condition.

Clinton was in his house in Washington when it was determined he should go to the hospital. Though he's going to spend at least the night there, the physicians remain hopeful for his complete recovery.

He served as president of the United States from January 1993 through January 2001.

The 42nd president, who left the White House nearly 25 years ago, has faced a series of health challenges over the years. In 2004, he underwent quadruple bypass heart surgery, followed by surgery for a partially collapsed lung in 2005. He had coronary stents placed in 2010 and was treated for a severe blood infection in 2021 during which he was hospitalized for six days in Los Angeles.

Despite these challenges, Clinton has remained highly visible in the public sphere. He appeared at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this summer and spent much of the fall travelling to promote his book, "Citizen: My Life After the White House."

Speaking at the Democratic National Convention in August -- marking his 13th time giving remarks at the event, Clinton remarked, "Let me say, not a single day goes by, even though I've been gone for well over 23 years from the White House, not a day goes that I don't thank the Lord for the chance I had to serve, and what it meant."