Clintons agree to testify before House committee over Epstein probe

WASHINGTON, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Former U.S. President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have agreed to testify before the Republican-led House Oversight and Government Reform Committee over an investigation into late financier Jeffrey Epstein, a spokesperson announced Monday.

"The former President and former Secretary of State will be there," said Angel Urena, a spokesperson for Bill Clinton, in response to a post by the committee on the social platform X. "They look forward to setting a precedent that applies to everyone."

The committee, in its post, accused the Clintons of "defying lawful subpoenas" and "trying to dodge contempt by requesting special treatment."

According to a New York Times report, in an email sent Monday evening to committee chair James Comer, attorneys for the Clintons said their clients would "appear for depositions on mutually agreeable dates," urging the House not to proceed with a contempt vote scheduled for Wednesday.

The report said the development signaled that the Clintons were "capitulating to the demands of its Republican chairman" just days before the House was expected to vote on holding them in criminal contempt of Congress.

In a public letter to Comer dated Jan. 13, the Clintons said they would not comply with a congressional subpoena requiring their testimony, calling it "legally invalid." They also said they had already provided the committee with all information in their possession related to the Epstein case.

On Jan. 21, the committee voted to advance a motion to hold the Clintons in contempt of Congress and referred it to the full House for a vote.

Epstein maintained close ties with numerous prominent figures in U.S. political and business circles. He died in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges. His death was ruled a suicide.

On Dec. 19, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) began publishing documents related to Epstein on its website. The initial batch included multiple references to the former Democratic president, prompting accusations that the DOJ was selectively releasing materials.

Some U.S. media outlets interpreted the move as an effort to shield prominent figures associated with President Donald Trump's Republican camp.