Former U.S. President Bill Clinton is scheduled to testify behind closed doors on Friday before a congressional panel examining connections to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, in what is expected to be a politically charged session led by Republicans allied with President Donald Trump.
Clinton’s appearance follows testimony from his wife, Hillary Clinton, who told the House Oversight Committee on Thursday that she did not recall ever meeting Epstein and had no knowledge of his crimes.
Unlike his wife, Bill Clinton acknowledged that he flew several times on Epstein’s private plane in the early 2000s after leaving office. Newly released Justice Department documents include photographs of Clinton with women whose identities have been redacted. Clinton has denied any wrongdoing and said he regrets his association with Epstein.
The hearing is being led by House Oversight Committee chairman James Comer, who said the Clintons are not accused of crimes but must answer questions about Epstein’s relationship with the Clinton charitable foundation. The couple agreed to testify near their home in Chappaqua, New York, after the House threatened to hold them in contempt of Congress for refusing earlier requests.
Democrats have criticized the probe as politically motivated, accusing Republicans of using the investigation to shield Trump from scrutiny. They argue Trump should also be subpoenaed, noting his name appears frequently in Epstein-related files and that he socialized with Epstein in the 1990s and 2000s, prior to Epstein’s 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor.
Democratic lawmakers further accuse Trump’s Justice Department of withholding records linked to a woman who alleged Trump sexually abused her as a minor. The U.S. Justice Department has said it is reviewing the material and will release it if appropriate, while warning that some documents include unverified and sensational claims. Trump has not been charged with any crime related to Epstein.
Epstein died in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges. His death was officially ruled a suicide.
