Former President Bill Clinton concluded a closed-door deposition before the House Oversight Committee on Thursday, urging that the session be made public and directly addressing questions about his past association with Jeffrey Epstein.
Clintonâs appearance quickly became the latest flashpoint in the ongoing political battle over the Epstein document releases â with Democrats and Republicans emerging from the room offering sharply different interpretations of what was said.
Clintonâs Testimony
According to members present, Clinton testified that his interactions with Epstein were limited and that he was unaware of any criminal activity at the time.
In an opening statement, Clinton said:
âNo person is above the law, even presidents⊠I saw nothing and I did nothing wrong.â
He acknowledged having known Epstein but stated that he had no knowledge of crimes and that he ceased associating with him years before Epsteinâs 2008 guilty plea.
Clinton also addressed former President Donald Trump, recounting a past conversation in which Trump allegedly described having a falling out with Epstein over a real estate dispute. According to Democrats in attendance, Clintonâs account contradicts Trumpâs public explanation that the relationship ended for other reasons.
Trump has denied wrongdoing and has repeatedly said he has been âfully exoneratedâ by the document releases.
Competing Narratives
House Oversight Chair James Comer emphasized that Clinton said Trump ânever said anything to me to make me think he was involvedâ in criminal conduct, framing the testimony as beneficial to Trump.
Democratic members pushed back.
Representative Maxwell Frost stated that Clintonâs remarks instead raised additional questions about the nature and closeness of Trumpâs past relationship with Epstein, particularly regarding the reason it ended.
Democrats are now calling for the full, unedited transcript and video of the deposition to be released.
âWe are demanding transparency,â said one member outside the hearing room, arguing that selective summaries risk misleading the public.
Trump Responds
Earlier in the day, speaking at the White House, Trump expressed sympathy for Clinton being deposed.
âI donât like seeing him deposed,â Trump said, while reiterating that he has been cleared in connection with the Epstein materials.
He also defended Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, calling him âa very innocent guyâ amid separate scrutiny.
Broader Political Stakes
The Oversight Committee has now heard from multiple high-profile figures. Democrats argue that if former presidents are appearing voluntarily, then Trump should also testify. Republicans counter that no evidence has established criminal conduct by Trump in the released materials.
The debate now centers on transparency:
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Democrats want public hearings and immediate transcript releases.
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Republicans have defended the structure of the depositions and emphasized that no charges have been filed.
For now, Clintonâs testimony has intensified â not resolved â the political fight over how the Epstein investigation is being handled and what the public should be allowed to see.
With both parties claiming vindication, the pressure to release full transcripts may determine which version of events prevails.
