Former President Bill Clinton testified to lawmakers that Donald Trump told him in the early 2000s that he had enjoyed “some great times” with Jeffrey Epstein, according to video footage released Monday. Clinton’s deposition was part of a probe by the House Oversight Committee into Epstein’s alleged crimes and the involvement of prominent figures.
Clinton stated that Trump made the comment during a conversation in 2002 or 2003. The former president was questioned about his own relationship with Epstein, and whether he had any knowledge of Epstein’s criminal activity. Clinton repeatedly asserted that he “did nothing wrong” and had no knowledge of Epstein’s abuse, a claim echoed in his public statements following the deposition, as reported by NPR.
The deposition comes amid scrutiny of numerous high-profile individuals who had connections to Epstein, the financier who was accused of sex trafficking and died by suicide in a jail cell in 2019. Trump has previously acknowledged knowing Epstein but has claimed their relationship was brief and that he later distanced himself from him. He has also accused political opponents of attempting to link him to Epstein’s crimes.
House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer indicated that Clinton had deferred a question regarding whether Trump should be compelled to testify in the Epstein investigation to the committee itself, according to Politico. This suggests the committee is still considering whether to subpoena the former president.
Lawmakers spoke ahead of Clinton’s deposition, signaling the seriousness of the inquiry and the desire to uncover the full extent of Epstein’s network. PBS NewsHour reported that members of both parties expressed a commitment to a thorough investigation.
Clinton’s testimony and the ongoing investigation raise further questions about the connections between powerful individuals and Epstein, and the extent to which those connections may have shielded him from accountability. The House Oversight Committee’s next steps, including a potential subpoena for Trump, remain to be seen.
