CHAPPAQUA, N.Y. — In a landmark congressional deposition on Friday, Feb. 27, former President Bill Clinton addressed his historical ties to Jeffrey Epstein, providing rare insight into the relationship between the late sex offender and another former commander-in-chief: Donald Trump.
Appearing before the House Oversight Committee at his residence in Chappaqua, Clinton, 79, was questioned extensively about his presence in the “Epstein files”—thousands of pages of DOJ documents, emails, and photographs documenting the financier’s elite social circle. While Clinton maintained he had no knowledge of Epstein’s sex trafficking operation, his testimony shed new light on a 20-year-old conversation with Trump regarding the convicted felon.
‘Great Times’ and a Real Estate Fallout
During the deposition, Clinton recounted a specific exchange with Donald Trump during a charity golf tournament in the early 2000s. According to Clinton, Trump acknowledged a long-standing friendship with Epstein that ended due to business friction.
“He somehow knew I had flown in Jeffrey Epstein’s aircraft,” Clinton testified. “And he said, ‘You know, we had some great times together over the years, but we fell out all because of a real estate deal.’ And he said, ‘I’m sorry it happened.'”
Clinton noted that Trump did not define what those “great times” entailed, adding that at the time, he “didn’t put any sexual spin on it.” When pressed by the committee on Trump’s potential involvement in Epstein’s activities, Clinton stated, “I have no information that he did anything wrong.”
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A House Divided: Partisan Interpretations
The testimony immediately sparked a divide along party lines within the House Oversight Committee. Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) told reporters that Clinton’s statements effectively cleared the 45th president of suspicion, noting that Clinton “never saw anything to make [him] think Trump was involved.”
However, Committee Democrats quickly countered that narrative. In a statement released on X, the minority argued that Clinton’s testimony regarding the “great times” Trump shared with Epstein warrants further investigation.
“Claims that President Clinton fully exonerated Trump are a mischaracterization,” the statement read, suggesting the fallout over a “real estate deal” does not preclude the need for Trump to testify regarding his own history with the financier.
Defense of Hillary Clinton and ‘No One Above the Law’
The hearing followed a period of intense legal maneuvering. The Clintons initially refused to appear for their scheduled January testimonies, sparking threats of contempt charges from Chairman Comer.
In a social media statement released prior to the Friday hearing, Clinton adopted a defensive and investigative tone, criticizing the committee for also subpoenaing former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
“You made Hillary come in. She had nothing to do with Jeffrey Epstein,” Clinton said, calling her inclusion “simply not right.” He maintained that his own interactions with Epstein were limited and that his upbringing in a home with domestic abuse would have compelled him to report Epstein had he witnessed any illicit behavior.
“No matter how many photos you show me… I know what I saw, and more importantly, what I didn’t see,” Clinton testified. “I saw nothing, and I did nothing wrong.”
What’s Next for the Investigation
The House Oversight Committee’s inquiry into the Epstein files continues to escalate. While Bill and Hillary Clinton have now completed their depositions, the focus has shifted toward whether the committee will issue a formal subpoena for Donald Trump.
Though Trump appears in numerous photographs and documents assembled by the Department of Justice, he has not yet been called to testify. When asked by the committee if Trump should be summoned, Clinton deferred, saying, “That’s for you to decide. But he did know him well.”
As the DOJ continues to process and release further documents from the investigation, the committee is expected to deliberate on the next phase of testimony in the coming weeks.
