USA Former President Clinton testifies before US Congress on Epstein
As part of the political investigation into the Epstein scandal, an extremely rare event is taking place in the USA: for the first time in decades, a former US president, Bill Clinton, is to testify before the US Parliament today. The 79-year-old knew the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who died in 2019 and ran an abuse ring for years. Clinton's name and pictures of him appear in documents relating to the Epstein investigation. However, Clinton has denied any wrongdoing in the context of his acquaintance with Epstein - as well as any knowledge of his crimes.
27.02.2026, 04:20
SDA
On Thursday, his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, testified for several hours before the oversight committee in Chappaqua. She lives with her husband in this community in the US state of New York. The Democrats accused the Republican chairman of the relevant House committee, James Comer, of conducting politically motivated proceedings. It would be better to question "someone who actually had dealings with Jeffrey Epstein". This refers to US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick or US President Donald Trump, for example.
No testimony by an ex-president before Congress since 1983
According to US media reports, the last time a former US President testified before Congress before former President Clinton (1993-2001) was in 1983: Gerald Ford, US President from 1974 to 1977. The case concerned the planning of the celebrations surrounding the 200th anniversary of the US Constitution, as reported by the New York Times and NBC News.
In comparison, the case now under discussion seems much more explosive - even though Republican Comer said before the start of the questioning that the Clintons were not currently accused of any misconduct. The aim was to clarify how Epstein had gained influence and wealth and which networks had protected him.
What is known about Bill Clinton's connection to Epstein
Bill Clinton's name has long been associated with Epstein in the USA. According to BBC research, there are already photos of Clinton and Epstein from the early 1990s. Public records are said to show, for example, that Epstein donated to Clinton's presidential election campaign in 1992.
At that time, nothing was publicly known about Epstein's crimes. The financier had excellent contacts in high society. Celebrities, politicians and billionaires came and went with him. The contact between Clinton and Epstein continued, at least in the early 2000s. Shortly after Epstein's arrest for human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation in July 2019, a Clinton spokesperson, Angel Urena, stated that Clinton had taken four trips on Epstein's private jet between 2002 and 2003 when he was ex-president.
Clinton appears several times in the Epstein files published to date: In one picture, for example, the Democrat can be seen swimming in a pool with Epstein's aide Ghislaine Maxwell. In other photos, he is seen without reference to the two. The mere mention of his name or his picture are no indication of misconduct.
When asked whether she was sure that her husband knew nothing about Epstein's crimes, Hillary Clinton said after her own questioning: "I am". She emphasized that Bill Clinton's association with Epstein had ended several years before anything about his crimes had come to light.
Questioning Hillary Clinton is a "dubious clown show"
Hillary Clinton denied any knowledge of Epstein's crimes during her questioning. She had never met the financial investor or communicated with him. She had only known his accomplice Maxwell in passing. Instead of using the current questioning to distract from the handling of the Epstein files, the committee should press ahead with the full publication of the documents, Clinton said.
Following her questioning, she expressed her disappointment that it had not taken place in public despite her demands for transparency. She said she hoped the video recording would be released as soon as possible. Democrats on the committee referred to her questioning as a "dubious clown show" and "political theater".
Lutnick may also be asked to testify
In the course of the questioning, Commerce Secretary Lutnick is also coming under renewed scrutiny. The Epstein files show that he was in contact with the financier for longer than previously admitted. According to media reports, Committee Chairman Comer said before the start of Hillary Clinton's questioning that it was "very possible" that Lutnick would also be summoned before the committee. Democrats have been calling for this for some time.
Members of the party are also investigating whether important documents were withheld by the Department of Justice in the course of the publication of the files - including documents relating to allegations against Trump. The department denies this, but has announced that it will re-examine some of the documents. Trump denies any wrongdoing.
