Bill Clinton Set to Testify Friday as Hillary Resumes Closed‑Door Epstein Deposition
Hillary Clinton resumed a closed‑door deposition on Thursday about her ties to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after proceedings were abruptly paused when a photo leaked from inside the room. bill clinton is scheduled to follow with his own sworn testimony on Friday, a development that keeps the House Oversight Committee’s investigation in the national spotlight.
Hillary Clinton resumes testimony after photo leak
The session paused when a photograph from inside the closed‑door meeting was released, prompting Democratic members of the Republican‑led House Oversight Committee to defend Hillary Clinton and call the photo’s release "completely against the rules. " In her opening statement she accused the committee of "partisan political theater" and urged members to request that President Donald Trump testify as well. She repeatedly said she had no information about Epstein's crimes and did not recall ever meeting or speaking to him.
Bill Clinton to testify Friday at scheduled deposition
bill clinton is due to appear on Friday, February 27, following Hillary’s session on Thursday, February 26. The two depositions will be held near the Clintons’ home in Chappaqua, New York, and are sworn, out‑of‑court testimony taken as part of a congressional investigation. The former president has previously said he took trips on Epstein's plane but denies any knowledge of, or involvement in, Epstein's crimes. There is no suggestion that appearing in the Epstein documents implies wrongdoing.
James Comer outlines recording and release plan
House Oversight Committee chairman James Comer, who has pressed the Clintons for months, said the deposition concluded and called it a "shame" that it took seven months to set up. Comer said the committee will work to release the deposition video within 24 hours and to publish the transcript as soon as Hillary Clinton's attorneys approve it. He added that while many questions were asked, some answers left the panel unsatisfied.
Chappaqua Performing Arts Center chosen to accommodate schedules
Both depositions are being held at the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center, about 37 miles north of New York City. The committee is not required to convene at the US Capitol and agreed to the upstate location to accommodate the Clintons’ schedules. The sessions will be recorded, transcribed and filmed; congressional depositions are typically scheduled during normal business hours, often starting between 9 and 10 a. m. local time (14: 00–15: 00 GMT), though the committee has not confirmed exact start times for these appearances. Earlier iterations of subpoenas had ordered a 10 a. m. start (15: 00 GMT).
Committee pressure, subpoenas and prior scheduling attempts
The Clintons initially resisted testifying, arguing the inquiry was politically motivated, but agreed after the House signalled it was prepared to pursue a bipartisan vote to hold them in contempt—a step that could have led to criminal charges. The push for Bill Clinton’s testimony dates back months: his deposition was first requested for October 2025, later rescheduled for December, which he declined citing a funeral; a follow‑up subpoena set a new date of January 13, 2026, but he did not attend.
Republican and Democratic reactions from the committee floor
Pennsylvania Republican Scott Perry said one lesson from the hearing was that if members want to know about the Clintons' relationship with Epstein or about the Clinton Global Initiative, they must ask Bill Clinton. Another lawmaker noted that Hillary Clinton said "I don't know, you'll have to ask my husband" more than a dozen times during questioning. Republican Representative Nancy Mace, who led questions at the session, said there are more people "we need to haul to the Oversight Committee, " listing potential witnesses, victims and potential predators and insisting that all perpetrators be held accountable to the full extent of the law.
The proceedings were edited by Oliver O'Connell and Adam Goldsmith, with reporting from Sarah Smith and Nada Tawfik in Chappaqua, New York. What makes this notable is the combination of a resumed, paused deposition, a planned follow‑up from the former president and the committee’s stated readiness to publish video and a transcript quickly—moves that ensure the testimony will be publicly scrutinized as the investigation continues.
