Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have consented to provide testimony before a congressional investigation examining the handling of Jeffrey Epstein cases, effectively avoiding potential contempt proceedings. The announcement came through Clinton spokesman Angel Urena via social media platform X, stating the former first couple would participate while emphasizing their desire to “set a precedent that applies to everyone.”
The House Rules Committee had previously advanced resolutions accusing the Clintons of defying subpoenas requiring their in-person appearance to discuss connections with Epstein, the convicted sex offender who died in custody in 2019. The investigation focuses on how authorities managed earlier probes into Epstein’s activities and his extensive network among global business and political elites.
This development occurs amid intense partisan tensions, with Democrats characterizing the probe as a weaponized effort targeting political opponents of former President Donald Trump—who himself maintained longstanding associations with Epstein but has not been summoned to testify. Republicans justify the scrutiny based on Bill Clinton’s documented use of Epstein’s private aircraft during the early 2000s for Clinton Foundation-related humanitarian missions.
Both Clintons had initially challenged the subpoenas’ validity, arguing they lacked clear legislative purpose, and instead submitted sworn written statements detailing their knowledge of Epstein and his convicted associate Ghislaine Maxwell. In these statements, Bill Clinton acknowledged flights on Epstein’s plane while denying visits to his private island, with Hillary Clinton asserting no meaningful interactions with Epstein whatsoever.
Following the Clintons’ agreement to testify, the Rules Committee suspended its scheduled vote on contempt proceedings, which had threatened to expose divisions within Democratic ranks regarding accountability versus partisan manipulation of the Epstein scandal.