Abstract Background Hypertension is a major public health problem and a prominent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. However, whether passive smoking exposure (PSE) is associated with the risk of hypertension is scarcely understood. This study assessed the association between PSE and the risk of hypertension among adults (≥18 years) in the United States of America. Methods Three thousand and sixty-seven adults were identified from the 2015–2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and the association between PSE and hypertension (adjusting for relevant confounders) was examined using multivariable adjusted-logistic regression analysis at P