A motorcade carrying former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton approaches the Chappaqua Performing Arts Middle the place Ms. Clinton is scheduled to testify earlier than U.S. Home lawmakers as a part of a congressional investigation into convicted intercourse offender Jeffrey Epstein on February 26, 2026 in Chappaqua, New York.
| Photograph Credit score: AP
A Republican-led panel grilled Hillary Clinton on Thursday (February 26, 2026) over her hyperlinks to Jeffrey Epstein, however she referred to as for Donald Trump to testify in regards to the President’s personal connections to the convicted intercourse offender.
Ms. Hillary Clinton advised the congressional committee she had no details about Epstein’s crimes, by no means recalled encountering him, and had by no means visited his island or flown on his airplane, accusing the panel of attempting to “defend one public official” — Mr. Trump.
James Comer, who chairs the committee that will even grill former President Invoice Clinton on Friday (February 27, 2026), stated “the aim of the entire investigations to attempt to perceive many issues about Epstein” — the deceased convicted intercourse offender.
Ms. Hillary Clinton challenged the panel saying “if this committee is severe about studying the reality about Epstein’s trafficking crimes… it might ask (Mr. Trump) straight beneath oath in regards to the tens of 1000’s of instances he exhibits up within the Epstein recordsdata”.
The highest Democrat on the committee, Robert Garcia, additionally referred to as on Mr. Trump to testify “to reply the questions which can be being requested throughout this nation from survivors”.
The Republican-led Home Oversight Committee is probing those that had been linked to Epstein, who died in a New York jail cell in 2019 whereas awaiting trial.
The Clintons had initially rejected subpoenas ordering them to testify within the panel’s probe, however the Democratic energy couple agreed to take action after Home Republicans threatened to carry them in contempt of Congress.
Ms. Hillary Clinton stated in her opening assertion to the panel that it “justified its subpoena to me based mostly on its assumption that I’ve data relating to the investigations into the legal actions of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell”.
“Let me be as clear as I can. I don’t.”
Democrats say the investigation is being weaponised to assault political opponents of Mr. Trump moderately than to conduct professional oversight.
Mr. Trump and Mr. Invoice Clinton, each 79, characteristic prominently within the lately launched trove of presidency paperwork associated to Epstein, however stated they broke any ties with the financier earlier than his 2008 conviction in Florida as a intercourse offender.
Mere point out within the recordsdata isn’t proof of getting dedicated a criminal offense.
The Clintons referred to as for his or her depositions to be public however the committee insisted on questioning them behind closed doorways, a transfer Mr. Invoice Clinton denounced as akin to a “kangaroo court docket”.
The depositions are being held in Chappaqua, New York, the place the Clintons reside. Dozens of journalists have converged on the rich hamlet.
The Secret Service erected steel barricades across the arts middle the place the deposition is occurring.
Intercourse trafficking
Mr. Invoice Clinton has acknowledged flying on Epstein’s airplane a number of instances within the early 2000s for Clinton Basis-related humanitarian work, however stated he by no means visited Epstein’s non-public Caribbean island.
Maxwell, 64, is serving a 20-year jail sentence for intercourse trafficking.
She appeared through video-link earlier than the Home Oversight Committee earlier this month however refused to reply questions, invoking her Fifth Modification proper to not incriminate herself.
Her lawyer, David Markus, stated Maxwell could be ready to talk publicly if granted clemency by Mr. Trump.
Epstein cultivated a community of highly effective enterprise executives, politicians, celebrities and lecturers.
The discharge of the Epstein case recordsdata has had repercussions across the globe, together with the arrests in Britain of former prince Andrew and Peter Mandelson, the ex-ambassador to the USA.
Quite a few outstanding Individuals have had their reputations broken by their friendships with Epstein and have resigned their positions, however up to now Maxwell is the one one that has been convicted of a criminal offense in reference to late financier.
Printed – February 26, 2026 10:28 pm IST