US President Bill Clinton and his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, have called for a public congressional hearing to testify about their relationship with convicted Jeffrey Epstein, rejecting any wrongdoing and urging a transparent judicial process rather than closed-door proceedings.
The Clintons requested an open session before Congress to give their testimony, saying the move is intended to prevent Republicans from politicizing the issue.
Both had previously been ordered to appear for closed-door testimony before the House Oversight Committee, which is investigating Epstein’s ties to influential figures and how authorities handled information related to his crimes.
In a statement, the committee said Hillary Clinton is scheduled to testify on February 26, followed by Bill Clinton on February 27.
Democrats argue that the investigation is being used to target political opponents of former President Donald Trump, noting that Trump himself had past ties to Epstein but has not been summoned to testify.
House Republicans had threatened to pursue contempt of Congress proceedings against the prominent Democratic couple if they refused to appear, prompting their agreement to testify.
However, Bill Clinton said on Friday that holding the session behind closed doors would amount to a “show trial.” In a post on X, the former president wrote, “Let’s end the delay and handle this the right way, in a public hearing.”
I have called for the full release of the Epstein files. I have provided a sworn statement of what I know. And just this week, I’ve agreed to appear in person before the committee. But it’s still not enough for Republicans on the House Oversight Committee.
— Bill Clinton (@BillClinton) February 6, 2026
Hillary Clinton echoed the call, saying they had already told the Republican-led Oversight Committee “what we know.” Writing on Thursday, she added, “If you want this confrontation, let’s have it in public.”
The US Department of Justice last week released a new tranche of Epstein-related files, comprising more than three million documents, photos, and videos linked to investigations into the disgraced financier, who was found dead in his New York jail cell in 2019.
Bill Clinton’s name appears in the files, but no evidence has emerged implicating him or his wife in any criminal activity.
The former president has acknowledged traveling on Epstein’s plane in the early 2000s for humanitarian work connected to the Clinton Foundation but has denied ever visiting Epstein’s private island.
Hillary Clinton, who ran against Trump in the 2016 presidential election, has said she had virtually no contact with Epstein, never flew on his aircraft, and never visited his island.
Source: AFP (Edited by Al-Manar Website)