Former U.S. President Bill Clinton testified before the House of Representatives on February 27 regarding the allegations surrounding Jeffrey Epstein, who faced numerous sexual crime charges.
The questioning lasted over six hours, marking a historic moment as Clinton became the first ex-president required to provide testimony under subpoena to a congressional committee.
During the session, lawmakers presented Clinton with photographs from Epstein’s files, recently released by the Justice Department, and inquired whether he had engaged in sexual activities with the women depicted. Clinton denied all allegations, according to two sources from CNN.
Members from both political parties noted that Clinton responded to every question posed to him.
Prior to his testimony, Clinton shared a prepared statement on X, emphasizing the principle that no one, including presidents, is above the law. He also stated that his acquaintance with Epstein ended years before the financier’s criminal activities became public knowledge, asserting he saw no signs of wrongdoing.
“The girls and women whose lives were ruined by Jeffrey Epstein deserve not only justice but also healing,” Clinton wrote in his statement, adding, “If I had any inkling of what he was doing, I would have reported him and led the fight for justice against his crimes, not for favorable deals.”
Clinton also expressed that it was inappropriate for his wife, Hillary Clinton, to be called to testify, reiterating her earlier statements that she had no knowledge of or communication with Epstein.
Previously, both Bill and Hillary Clinton had resisted testifying, facing potential penalties for their noncompliance. They altered their stance just before a vote that could have led to criminal charges for contempt of Congress due to their refusal to appear before the House Oversight Committee.
Bill Clinton served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001 as a member of the Democratic Party. Hillary Clinton was the Democratic presidential candidate in 2016.
Clinton acknowledged a past acquaintance with Epstein, who died in prison in 2019, but firmly denied any knowledge of Epstein’s sexual crimes, claiming he ceased contact with him two decades ago.
Media reports indicate that Epstein’s flight logs show Clinton took four international flights on Epstein’s private jet in 2002 and 2003. Additionally, photographs released by the Justice Department depict Clinton at Epstein’s estate, including one where he is seen swimming in a pool and another where he appears to be reclining in a hot tub.
Jeffrey Epstein had extensive ties to high-profile figures in American politics and entertainment. He was long suspected of engaging in sex trafficking of minors but managed to evade serious legal consequences for years.
In 2005, Epstein faced charges for hiring underage girls for sexual acts in Florida. Despite numerous allegations from other minors, he ultimately accepted a plea deal in 2008, pleading guilty to a lesser charge involving only one victim, which spared him from federal charges that could have resulted in a life sentence.
Following his release from a 13-month sentence, Epstein resumed connections with influential acquaintances, aided by his former associate Ghislaine Maxwell.
In July 2019, authorities renewed their investigation into Epstein, leading to his arrest in New York, where they discovered hundreds of sexually explicit photographs. He was charged with sex trafficking shortly thereafter and remained in custody until his death.
On August 10, 2019, Epstein was found dead in his jail cell, with the official ruling being suicide. Two prison guards admitted to neglecting their duties that night and later confessed to providing false testimony.
Ghislaine Maxwell was arrested in 2020, accused of aiding Epstein in recruiting underage girls for sexual exploitation. She was found guilty in December 2021 of facilitating Epstein’s sexual abuse of minors.
On December 12, 2025, the House Oversight Committee released 20,000 pages of private correspondence from Epstein, which included mentions of Donald Trump. The White House dismissed these documents as fabrications aimed at discrediting the former president.
On November 17, Trump called on House Republicans to vote in favor of releasing Epstein’s files to counter what he termed a Democratic deception. The House supported this initiative the following day, leading to a bill signed by Trump mandating the Justice Department to disclose all non-secret documents related to Epstein.
On January 30, 2026, the Justice Department published over three million additional pages of documents concerning Epstein’s case, including more than 2,000 videos and 180,000 images.
Bill Clinton's testimony before Congress regarding Jeffrey Epstein marks a significant moment in U.S. history, as he becomes the first former president to be subpoenaed. The session focused on Clinton's past connections with Epstein and allegations surrounding sexual misconduct.