WASHINGTON — Former President Bill Clinton told members of Congress that he “did nothing wrong” in his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and said he saw no signs of Epstein’s sexual abuse as he endured more than six hours of questioning from lawmakers about connections dating back more than two decades.
“I saw nothing, and I did nothing wrong,” Clinton said in an opening statement he shared on social media. The closed-door deposition in Chappaqua, New York, marked the first time a former president has been compelled to testify to Congress. The session ended after more than six hours, and lawmakers said he answered every question posed to him.
Clinton has not been accused of wrongdoing, and Republican members of the House Oversight Committee did not immediately level accusations as they left the deposition. They said they will review the testimony but that their focus was shifting to others. Republicans have sought answers about people who maintained ties to Epstein after his 2008 guilty plea in Florida for soliciting prostitution from an underage girl.
“We have questions about anyone who spent time with Epstein post-conviction,” said Rep. James Comer, the committee chair. “Once you knew Jeffrey Epstein was a sex offender, why did you continue a relationship?”
In his statement, Clinton said he had largely stopped associating with Epstein by the time of that 2008 plea. He acknowledged difficulty recalling details from more than 20 years ago but expressed certainty he had not witnessed signs of abuse. Republican Rep. John McGuire accused Clinton of “selective memory” during questioning, though several GOP members praised his candor. “Clinton was quite candid, perhaps more candid than his attorneys were comfortable,” said Rep. Nick Langworthy.
Republicans had pressed for the opportunity to question Clinton for years, particularly after Epstein’s 2019 death in a New York jail while awaiting sex-trafficking charges and after the Justice Department released photos from the Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell files. Those photos included Clinton on a plane with a woman whose face was redacted and another showing Clinton and Maxwell in a pool with a redacted individual. Comer said the committee has evidence Epstein visited the White House 17 times and that Clinton flew on Epstein’s plane 27 times; Clinton disputes ongoing ties after 2008.
Democrats also questioned Clinton intensely. “We are only here because he hid it from everyone so well for so long,” Clinton said in his opening remarks, adding he had stopped associating with Epstein by the time of the 2008 plea. He criticized Comer for summoning his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, to testify as well, calling it “simply not right.”
The depositions of both Clintons were held on consecutive days; Hillary Clinton sat with lawmakers the day before. Comer said the committee plans to quickly publish transcripts and video of the depositions.
Democrats argued the precedent of compelling a former president to testify could extend to President Donald Trump, who also had ties to Epstein. “I think that President Trump needs to man up, get in front of this committee and answer the questions,” said Rep. Robert Garcia, the committee’s top Democrat. Comer countered that Trump has answered questions in the press and that the committee has found no evidence he did anything wrong.
Trump expressed sympathy for Clinton, saying he liked him and disliked seeing him deposed.
Lawmakers also focused on Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, a longtime neighbor of Epstein. Lutnick has faced scrutiny after saying he severed ties following a disturbing 2005 tour of Epstein’s home; public case files later showed he attended a 2011 event at Epstein’s home and that his family had lunch with Epstein on his private island in 2012. Democrats are calling for Lutnick to be removed from office or to appear before the committee. Rep. Ro Khanna said he believed the committee would have votes to subpoena him. Rep. Nancy Mace, who questioned Hillary Clinton about Lutnick during her deposition, joined calls for Lutnick to testify.
Republicans said they intend to review other individuals connected to Epstein rather than pressing further immediate allegations against the Clintons.
