Former US President Bill Clinton testified before House lawmakers, stating he had no prior knowledge of Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes and asserting he did nothing wrong during his interactions with the disgraced financier. Clinton’s closed-door deposition in Chappaqua, New York, marked the first instance of a former US president being subpoenaed to testify before Congress. He emphasized that he never suspected Epstein’s criminal activities, criticizing the committee for summoning his wife, Hillary Clinton, for questioning.
Clinton’s deposition, following disputes between the Clintons and the GOP-led panel, saw the former president cooperating with the House Oversight Committee. Lawmakers indicated their intention to release video footage and transcripts in the near future. Despite Clinton’s acknowledgment of traveling on Epstein’s private jet for foundation-related work, he denied ever visiting Epstein’s private island. The Justice Department’s released files contained photos of Clinton with Epstein but did not suggest any wrongdoing on Clinton’s part.
President Donald Trump, who also faced scrutiny over his ties to Epstein, commented on Clinton’s testimony, expressing discomfort with the deposition process. Epstein, who pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting prostitution involving a minor, faced renewed charges in 2019 for sex trafficking and passed away in jail that year. His associate Ghislaine Maxwell is currently serving a prison sentence for her involvement in recruiting and grooming underage girls.
