Hillary Clinton delivered a sharp and unyielding defense following her closed-door deposition before the House Oversight Committee on Jeffrey Epstein ties, emerging from hours of questioning in Chappaqua, New York, to accuse Republican lawmakers of political theater, rule-breaking, and a selective focus that shielded former President Donald Trump.

Hillary Clinton Fires Back After Epstein Deposition, Accusing Republicans of Partisan Stunts and Cover-Up

CHAPPAQUA, N.Y. — Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stepped out of a marathon closed-door deposition Thursday to deliver a pointed rebuke of the Republican-led House Oversight Committee, dismissing much of the questioning as repetitive, off-topic, and politically motivated. The session, part of an ongoing probe into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s files, saw Clinton repeatedly deny any personal connection to Epstein while highlighting what she described as inconsistencies in the committee’s approach.

In remarks to reporters outside the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center, Clinton emphasized that she had never met Epstein, visited his properties, or communicated with him. “I don’t know how many times I had to say I did not know Jeffrey Epstein,” she stated, underscoring the redundancy of the inquiries. She described the deposition as “very long” and “repetitive,” with questions circling the same ground despite her clear answers.

The hearing briefly halted early on after Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) reportedly shared a photograph of Clinton at the table with a conservative commentator, violating agreed-upon rules prohibiting cameras or leaks from the closed session. Clinton’s legal team paused proceedings until assurances were given that rules would be followed. “We had agreed upon rules based on the fact that it was going to be a closed hearing at their demand,” she said, calling the violation “very upsetting” and suggestive of potential further breaches.

Clinton expressed particular frustration with off-topic lines of inquiry, including questions about the debunked “Pizzagate” conspiracy theory and even UFOs. She condemned Pizzagate as “one of the most vile, bogus conspiracy theories that was propagated on the internet.” She also noted that Republican members appeared disengaged on core Epstein matters, pointing out that no GOP lawmakers questioned former Attorney General Bill Barr about Epstein during his appearance, nor did they attend the deposition of financier Les Wexner, a key Epstein associate.

In a striking observation, Clinton highlighted that the only Epstein-related questions from Republicans in prior sessions targeted her husband, former President Bill Clinton. “Contrary to every other deposition they have taken, no Republican member asked any questions about Jeffrey Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell to anyone else,” she said, commending Democratic Chairman James Comer (though the transcript suggests a possible misreference; Comer is Republican chair) for raising substantive issues toward the end.

Addressing her husband’s documented mentions in Epstein files—including flight logs and photographs—Clinton maintained that any contact ended years before Epstein’s crimes became public. She described Bill Clinton as among those unaware of Epstein’s predatory activities pre-2008, when he received what she called a “sweetheart deal” that might have allowed earlier intervention. “The vast majority of people who had contact with him before his criminal plea in ’08 were like most people. They did not know what he was doing,” she said.

On a question about Ghislaine Maxwell’s attendance at daughter Chelsea Clinton’s 2010 wedding, Hillary Clinton clarified that Maxwell appeared as a plus-one guest invited by someone else, unknown to the family at the time. She pushed for full transparency, renewing calls for a public hearing—originally requested by Democrats but rejected by committee Republicans—and demanding immediate release of the deposition video and transcript. “I’m not going to do it again,” she declared when asked about further testimony. “They had a chance to do it in public and I wish they had done it in public.”

Republican responses varied. Chairman James Comer described the session as productive, while some members, including Rep. Pat Fallon (R-Texas), characterized Clinton as “icy” and questioned her account of Maxwell’s wedding presence as coincidental. Boebert later apologized for the photo incident, calling it an “unforced error.”

The deposition, spanning over six hours, unfolded amid heightened partisan tensions in the Epstein inquiry. Videos of both Hillary and Bill Clinton’s testimonies—his occurring the following day—were released by the committee on Monday, March 2, 2026, drawing widespread scrutiny. Clinton’s performance drew praise from supporters for its composure and directness, while critics accused her of deflection.

As the committee continues probing Epstein’s network, including calls from Democrats to depose figures with more documented ties like Trump associates, Clinton’s post-deposition remarks underscored deep divisions. She urged focus on truth-seeking over political scoring, warning that selective scrutiny risks undermining the investigation’s credibility.