The Clintons left the White House more than a dozen years ago `` dead broke '' and in debt , according to Hillary Clinton , who defended the hefty speaking fees she commands since stepping down as secretary of state last year . In a wide-ranging interview with ABC 's Diane Sawyer that aired on Monday , the former secretary of state also said that the deadly 2012 terror attack on the U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi , Libya , would give her `` more of a reason to run '' for president again than a rationale for not doing so . The interview comes just as Clinton 's new book , `` Hard Choices , '' about her years as Barack Obama 's first secretary of state hits bookstores on Tuesday . It 's the latest look at her storied career in the global spotlight as first lady , U.S. senator , presidential candidate and top diplomat . She made headlines in a clip of the interview that aired on `` Good Morning America '' in which she defended her hefty speaking fees , noting that she knew what it was like to experience tough financial circumstances in the winter of 2001 . She said her family `` came out of the White House not only dead broke but in debt , '' adding later that her family had `` no money '' at that time and `` struggled to piece together the resources '' for mortgages and her daughter Chelsea 's college education . `` You know , it was not easy , '' she said . The Clintons departed the White House in debt due to enormous legal fees . By the end of 2000 , their debt totaled somewhere between $ 2.28 million to $ 10.6 million . But former presidents and first ladies have the ability to make a lot of money , and the Clintons were no exception and have done so . Their assets grew quickly . Bill Clinton made more than $ 9.2 million in speaking fees in 2001 and more than $ 9.5 million in 2002 . They paid off their legal fees by 2004 . A CNN analysis of the family 's financial records in early 2013 showed that Bill Clinton had earned $ 106 million from paid speeches since leaving the presidency behind . In 2012 alone , he earned $ 17 million in fees . Although she regularly speaks for free at certain events , Mother Jones reported earlier this year that Clinton made roughly $ 5 million on the speaking circuit since stepping down as America 's top diplomat . Clinton did not dispute the figure when Sawyer asked about it . Though not as profitable as her husband - who has made as much as $ 750,000 in one speech - Hillary Clinton reportedly commands $ 200,000 per speech . The two also have received hefty advances for their books . Hillary Clinton said the former first family eventually turned around their finances , noting that her husband has `` worked really hard and it has been amazing to me . '' She noted that they had to pay off debts , get their houses arranged and `` take care of family members . '' Clinton has become a staple on the paid speaking circuit . She has appeared before an array of audiences , including trade associations , business groups and college students . Asked if she thought Americans could understand making `` five times the median income in this country for one speech , '' Clinton said she `` thought making speeches for money was a much better thing than getting connected with any one group or company as so many people who leave public life do . '' American Rising , the pro-Republican opposition research shop that along with the Republican National Committee , takes the lead in criticizing Clinton , was quick to ping her over her comments to ABC , saying they `` reveal someone who is extremely out of touch with financial reality facing Americans . '' On its website , America Rising said the two homes the Clintons purchased after leaving the White House in Chappaqua , New York , and Washington cost around $ 4.5 million combined . On Benghazi , Republicans contend that the attack that killed Ambassador Christopher Stevens and four Americans illustrates Obama administration foreign policy failures . Democrats say ongoing Republican-led scrutiny is political and designed to undercut any potential Clinton candidacy . `` I view this as really apart from - even a diversion from - the hard work that the Congress should be doing about the problems facing our country and the world , '' Clinton said , noting that the United States should be `` in the majors '' on world affairs . Clinton has taken responsibility for the attack in the past and she did so again in the clip released by ABC . But in this interview , Clinton defended herself by saying she `` was not making security decisions '' for the Benghazi compound . `` Well , I certainly would give anything on earth if this had not happened , '' Clinton said . `` And I certainly would wish that we had made some of the changes that came to our attention to make as a result of the investigation . But I also am clear in my own mind that we had a system and that system , of course , ended with me . ''
The former secretary of state reportedly has made $ 5 million in speaking fees since leaving government . The issue came up in an interview with ABC . Mrs. Clinton has become a staple on the paid speaking circuit as has former President Bill Clinton . Hillary Clinton says Benghazi would be more , not less , of a reason to run in 2016 .