Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are scheduled to be deposed this week as part of a House inquiry into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Hillary Clinton’s deposition is set for February 26, with Bill Clinton following the next day. The depositions come after the Department of Justice released millions of documents related to Epstein, sparking high-profile investigations and scrutiny across multiple countries.
The Clintons agreed to testify after months of resistance and a threat from House Republicans to hold them in contempt. A floor vote had been planned for February 4, which could have resulted in up to 12 months in prison for noncompliance. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer of Kentucky called the agreement a victory for “transparency and accountability for the American people and for survivors.”
The subpoena for the Clintons follows testimony from several other high-profile individuals connected to Epstein. Ghislaine Maxwell and billionaire Les Wexner have already appeared before the committee, while Epstein’s accountant Richard Kahn and his personal lawyer Darren Indyke have also been subpoenaed.
The focus on the Clintons stems from their political and personal ties to Epstein over decades. Federal Election Commission filings show that both received political donations from Epstein in the 1990s. White House visitor logs indicate Epstein made 17 trips to the Clinton administration, and in 2006, the Clinton Foundation accepted a $25,000 donation from an Epstein-related nonprofit. After leaving office, Bill Clinton maintained a relationship with Epstein linked to his charitable work, including four international trips on Epstein’s private plane. Clinton’s spokesperson has denied any wrongdoing, noting the trips were related to foundation activities.
Hillary Clinton, meanwhile, has no direct links to Epstein in the released files. She has stated publicly that she never met Epstein and only encountered Ghislaine Maxwell on a few occasions. Her spokesperson, Nick Merrill, called the subpoena “puzzling” and questioned the relevance of her testimony to the investigation.
Democrats have criticized the subpoenas as politically motivated. Rep. Robert Garcia, the committee’s top Democrat, described the effort as a “one-sided political hit job” and noted that other individuals, including former officials, have yet to release key documents.
The Clintons’ agreement to testify follows multiple delays. Originally scheduled for October, the depositions were postponed twice to January. Bill Clinton offered a private interview in New York with limited questioning, which the committee rejected. His spokesperson said Comer’s office declined the offer because it would not limit the scope to Epstein-related questions.
These depositions mark the first time a former president has been deposed by Congress since Gerald Ford in 1983. The hearings will be held behind closed doors, with transcripts and video recordings to be released publicly. The Clintons have requested a public hearing, but the committee has maintained that the initial depositions must be private.
