Bill Clinton tells House investigators he knew nothing of Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes, as unprecedented deposition fuels fresh political and legal scrutiny in Washington.
Former US president Bill Clinton has told congressional investigators that he had “no idea” about the crimes of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, insisting during a closed-door deposition that he “saw nothing and did nothing wrong”.
Clinton appeared under subpoena before the Republican-led House Oversight Committee in Chappaqua, New York, marking an extraordinary moment in modern US politics. It is the first time a former American president has been compelled to testify before Congress in a deposition setting.
In prepared remarks at the outset of the session, Clinton said he had no knowledge of Epstein’s criminal conduct during the period of their association. “Even with 20/20 hindsight, I saw nothing that ever gave me pause,” he told lawmakers, adding that Epstein had concealed his actions “from everyone so well for so long”.
The deposition followed months of negotiations between Clinton’s legal team and the committee, chaired by James Comer. The panel had previously advanced contempt proceedings before the former president agreed to comply. Comer later described Clinton as cooperative, telling reporters that he “answered every question, or attempted to answer every question”, while hinting that further scrutiny could follow once transcripts and video recordings are released.
Clinton also used the session to criticise the committee’s decision to subpoena his wife, Hillary Clinton, who had testified a day earlier. “She had nothing to do with Jeffrey Epstein,” he said, calling the move unnecessary.
Republican Representative Nancy Mace claimed Clinton continued responding to questions even when advised by his lawyers to remain silent. Meanwhile, the committee’s top Democrat, Robert Garcia, stressed that the deposition was intended to secure serious answers to longstanding questions.
Clinton has previously acknowledged flying on Epstein’s private jet in 2002 and 2003 for work connected to his foundation but has denied ever visiting Epstein’s private island. Documents released by the US Justice Department have included photographs and references to their past interactions, though no evidence of criminal wrongdoing by Clinton has been indicated.
President Donald Trump, who has also faced questions over past ties to Epstein, commented on the testimony, saying he did not like seeing Clinton deposed but added that “they certainly went after me”.
Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to charges related to soliciting prostitution involving a minor. He was arrested again in 2019 on federal sex-trafficking charges and later died in custody. His longtime associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for recruiting and grooming underage girls.
