Clintons Deposed in Historic Epstein Congress Probe

A Historic Milestone in Congressional Oversight

For the first time in more than four decades, a former United States president was compelled to testify before Congress. Bill Clinton sat for a closed-door deposition before the House Oversight Committee on February 27, 2026, answering questions for roughly six hours about his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The last time a sitting or former president had appeared before a congressional panel was in 1983, when Gerald Ford testified before a Senate subcommittee.

The depositions — Hillary Clinton's came the day before, on February 26 — were held at the Clintons' home in Chappaqua, New York, after the couple initially resisted subpoenas issued by Committee Chair Rep. James Comer (R-KY). They agreed to appear only days before a scheduled contempt-of-Congress vote, according to NPR.

What Bill Clinton Said

In his opening statement, the former president was unequivocal: "I saw nothing, and I did nothing wrong." Clinton acknowledged that he had known Epstein and had traveled on his private jet in 2002 and 2003 for Clinton Foundation-related work, but he denied ever visiting Epstein's private island in the U.S. Virgin Islands and denied any sexual contact with women whose photographs were shown to him during questioning.

Clinton said his acquaintance with Epstein had "ended years before his crimes came to light" and insisted he would have reported the financier to law enforcement had he known about the abuse. Committee members from both parties questioned him intensively; Rep. Nancy Mace noted Clinton "answered questions even when his attorneys told him to shut up."

Comer described the session as "very productive," while Rep. John McGuire accused Clinton of displaying "selective memory." Despite the partisan tensions, The Hill reported that Clinton received bipartisan praise for his willingness to cooperate fully under oath.

Hillary Clinton's Separate Deposition

Hillary Clinton's six-hour session the previous day was markedly more combative. According to Axios, she stated in her opening remarks: "I had no idea about their criminal activities. I do not recall ever encountering Mr. Epstein." She said she never flew on his plane or visited his properties.

The former Secretary of State characterized much of the questioning as "very repetitive" and derided the proceedings as "political theater." The session was briefly suspended after a conservative influencer posted a photo taken inside the room on X. Toward the end, Republican lawmakers reportedly asked Clinton about UFOs and the debunked "Pizzagate" conspiracy theory — questions she described as "quite unusual."

Political Fallout and the Trump Precedent Question

The depositions immediately set off a new political battle. The top Democrat on the panel, Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA), argued that the same congressional authority that compelled the Clintons must now be applied to President Trump, calling for Trump to testify before the committee regarding his own documented history with Epstein. Democrats also demanded the resignation of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, citing his reported engagements with Epstein after 2005.

Republicans, for their part, signaled the investigation remains ongoing and that the transcripts could yield further leads. The committee has yet to announce when — or whether — the full deposition transcripts will be released publicly.

Why This Moment Matters

The Epstein case has shadowed American public life for nearly two decades, but congressional investigators have long struggled to compel testimony from the highest-profile individuals connected to the disgraced financier. The Clintons' depositions represent the most significant exercise of congressional subpoena power over former chief executives in living memory — and, according to legal scholars cited by NBC News, a landmark precedent for future investigations regardless of party. Whether it yields new evidence of criminal wrongdoing or closes a chapter on long-running speculation remains to be seen.