Clinton Testifies on Epstein; Democrats Press Trump, Bondi Over Missing Files

WASHINGTON, D.C. (BuzzReport) — In a dramatic development that has captivated national political attention, former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton testified under oath before the Republican-controlled House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on Thursday as part of a sprawling congressional investigation into the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and what lawmakers characterize as a “government failure of oversight.” 

Clinton’s deposition — held behind closed doors in Chappaqua, New York — marked the opening salvo in a series of high-profile testimonies that will also include her husband, former President Bill Clinton, scheduled to appear before the committee on Friday. 

Clinton Says She Has “No Information” on Epstein’s Crimes

In a prepared opening statement shared publicly and delivered to lawmakers, Clinton reiterated that she had no knowledge of Epstein’s or his associate Ghislaine Maxwell’s criminal behavior and told lawmakers she could not recall ever meeting Epstein in person. “I had no idea about their criminal activities,” she said, adding that she never flew on Epstein’s plane, visited his island or any of his properties and has “nothing to add to that.” 

She also criticized the Oversight Committee’s handling of the impeachment, characterizing the proceedings as a form of “partisan political theater” aimed at deflecting attention from broader issues — including the Trump administration’s controversial management of Epstein-related files. 

Republicans on the panel emphasized that despite the political optics, neither Clinton has been accused of criminal wrongdoing; Chairman Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) stressed the committee is seeking transparency around how federal authorities responded to Epstein’s crimes across multiple administrations. 

Democrats Escalate Pressure on Trump

While Clinton maintained she lacks substantive information to aid the inquiry, House Oversight Committee Democrats — led by Ranking Member Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) — called for a dramatic escalation of the probe that would include compelling President Donald Trump to testify under oath. 

Garcia argued that since former presidents are willing to sit for depositions — with Bill Clinton scheduled next — there is precedent to request the sitting president appear before the committee as well. “We should depose the person that is mentioned in the Epstein files almost more than any other person, next to Ghislaine Maxwell, and that’s Donald Trump,” Garcia said in a press briefing Thursday afternoon. 

The push for Trump’s testimony extends beyond optics: Democrats highlight reports that dozens of pages of internal Jeffrey Epstein files, including interviews and notes involving a woman who alleged sexual abuse by Donald Trump decades ago, are missing from the public record — raising questions about whether the Department of Justice has complied with the law mandating the full release of all documents related to the Epstein investigation. 

Garcia and other Democratic lawmakers wrote to Attorney General Bondi demanding explanations for the missing records, arguing that their withholding could imperil survivors’ justice and deny the public transparency mandated by the bipartisan Epstein Files Transparency Act. 

Scrutiny on Pam Bondi and Missing Documents

Attorney General Pam Bondi, who testified before the House Judiciary Committee earlier this month, has been a focal point of criticism from members of both parties. During her hearing, Democrats confronted Bondi over the apparent redactions and omissions from the files released under the transparency law, with some accusing the Justice Department of engaging in a cover-up. 

Lawmakers, including Democrats and some Republicans, have lambasted Bondi for her office’s handling of the document release — particularly after an NPR investigation found some Epstein-related FBI interview files appear to be withheld or removed, sparking further demands for full public disclosure. 

Rep. Garcia and other Democrats contend that Bondi must personally explain why critical documents have not been shared, comply fully with the committee’s subpoenas, and clarify whether current Department of Justice actions comport with law and congressional oversight. 

Political Stakes and Public Response

The unfolding hearings come amid broader bipartisan frustration over the handling of the Epstein Files, including millions of pages of previously sealed records released only after Congress passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act late last year, which President Trump signed into law. 

Survivors’ advocates, congressional critics and political activists have seized on the controversy as emblematic of systemic failures to hold powerful figures accountable for enabling or ignoring Epstein’s exploits. Though repeated assertions that Trump and other officials have denied wrongdoing, the political pressure to examine every facet of the files is intensifying.

As the deposition series continues — with Bill Clinton’s testimony expected Friday and potential new subpoenas looming — the battle between congressional Democrats and the Trump administration over transparency, accountability and historical record is likely to sharpen in the weeks ahead.