House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) said on Wednesday that some lawmakers on the committee are in favor of a pardon for Jeffrey Epstein&#8217;s associate Ghislaine Maxwell in exchange for Maxwell answering questions on her and Epstein&#8217;s sex trafficking scheme.
Maxwell appeared for a virtual deposition before the committee in February, but she <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ghislaine-maxwell-will-only-testify-on-epstein-if-trump-gives-her-what-she-wants-lawyer-says?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Ghislaine+Maxwell+Will+Only+Testify+On+Epstein+If+Trump+Gives+Her+What+She+Wants%2C+Lawyer+Says">pled</a> the Fifth Amendment and said she would only testify on Epstein&#8217;s crimes if she was granted clemency. Maxwell&#8217;s demand has caused some debate in the Oversight Committee over a potential pardon, which would have to be granted by President Donald Trump.
“My committee’s split on that,” Comer told <a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2026/04/22/congress/to-pardon-maxwell-or-not-00887823?nname=playbook&amp;nid=0000014f-1646-d88f-a1cf-5f46b7bd0000&amp;nrid=5c65d8fa-b7c7-44e5-98d0-43e6086e71cd">POLITICO</a>. “I don’t speak for my committee.”
He did not name any of his colleagues who have voiced support for pardoning Maxwell, but he clarified that he is not on the side of lawmakers who want Trump to offer her the deal.
&#8220;I think it looks bad. Honestly, other than Epstein, the worst person in this whole investigation is Maxwell,&#8221; he said.
The lawmakers who support a pardon for the convicted sex trafficker appear to be on the Republican side of the aisle. Rep. Robert Garcia of California, the top Democrat on the Oversight Committee, said that Democrats are united in their opposition to a pardon for Maxwell.
“That would be a huge step backwards, and, quite frankly, so disrespectful to the survivors. She is a known abuser. She is a known liar,&#8221; Garcia said. “If the DOJ or Oversight Republicans are out there trying to negotiate some sort of pardon that is … not only a huge slap in the face to this investigation, to anyone, to the American public, it&#8217;s a part of a massive cover up.”
Maxwell, who is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for helping Epstein acquire underage girls for sex, has been pushing for a pardon from Trump for nearly a year. The president was <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5541645-maxwell-pardon-trump-review/">asked</a> last October if he was considering a pardon for Maxwell and said he wasn&#8217;t aware that she had requested clemency. Trump added that he would &#8220;take a look at it&#8221; and &#8220;speak to the DOJ.&#8221;
After Maxwell refused to answer questions before the Oversight Committee in February, Trump was asked again if he would consider a pardon for her.
&#8220;It&#8217;s something I haven&#8217;t thought about,&#8221; he said again. &#8220;I&#8217;m allowed to do it, but it&#8217;s something I have not thought about.&#8221;
Last week, Maxwell&#8217;s lawyer, David Markus, told POLITICO that he remains optimistic that Maxwell will receive a pardon.
“I don’t know what the percentages are,” he said. “There’s a good chance and for good reason that she would get a pardon.”
Markus added that he has not yet spoken directly with the administration about Maxwell&#8217;s request.
&#8220;I don’t think now is the best time to do it, with everything going on,” he said, referring to the ongoing backlash to the Trump administration&#8217;s handling of the Epstein investigation. “We’re not on a full court press right now.”
The Oversight Committee, which has been conducting its own probe of the Epstein case, has interviewed multiple high-profile people connected to the convicted pedophile. Last month, former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton were grilled by the committee over their relationship with Epstein.
The Oversight Committee plans to interview Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates in the coming weeks.

House Republicans/Ghislaine Maxwell

Behind Closed Doors, Some Top Republicans Want A Ghislaine Maxwell Pardon

Congress

Ghislaine Maxwell

House Oversight Committee

James Comer

Jeffrey Epstein

Politics

U.S.

WASHINGTON—The First Lady of the United States denied any connection to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in an unexpected statement on Thursday afternoon, warning the public: &#8220;The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today.&#8221;
&#8220;The individuals lying about me are devoid of ethical standards, humility, and respect,&#8221; First Lady Melania Trump said in an address to the country. &#8220;I do not object to their ignorance, but rather, I reject their mean-spirited attempts to defame my reputation.&#8221;
&#8220;I have never been friends with Epstein,&#8221; she went on. &#8220;Donald and I were invited to the same parties as Epstein from time to time, since overlapping in social circles is common in New York City and Palm Beach.&#8221;
Her statement marks the first time that Melania Trump, as First Lady, has publicly addressed Epstein.
It is unclear what prompted the First Lady to speak out on the topic at this point in time — Epstein&#8217;s name had mostly departed the national news cycle, and both the White House and President Donald Trump have shown a strong distaste for discussing the topic. That distaste was exacerbated by the fervor of Democratic lawmakers, who have attempted to use the Epstein news cycle in their favor against the president.
The First Lady also said on Thursday that she never had a relationship with Epstein&#8217;s cohort, Ghislaine Maxwell, and she referenced an email she had apparently sent to Maxwell, saying that it &#8220;cannot be categorized as anything more than a casual correspondence.&#8221;
&#8220;My polite reply to her email doesn’t amount to anything more than a trivial note,&#8221; she added. &#8220;I am not Epstein’s victim. Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump. I met my husband, by chance, at a New York City party in 1998. This initial encounter with my husband is documented in detail in my book, &#8216;MELANIA.'&#8221;
&#8220;The first time I crossed paths with Epstein was in the year 2000, at an event Donald and I attended together,&#8221; the First Lady explained. &#8220;At the time, I had never met Epstein and had no knowledge of his criminal undertakings. Numerous fake images and statements about Epstein and me have been circulating on social media for years now. Be cautious about what you believe.  These images and stories are completely false.&#8221;
Melania Trump emphasized that she is &#8220;not a witness or a named witness&#8221; connected to any of Epstein&#8217;s crimes.
<div id="attachment_1075167" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-lies-need-to-end-today-melania-trump-denies-any-connections-to-jeffrey-epstein/us-politics-first-lady-trump-3" rel="attachment wp-att-1075167"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1075167" class="wp-image-1075167 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2269958372-1-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2269958372-1-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2269958372-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2269958372-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2269958372-1.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" /></a>(Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP via Getty Images)</div>
&#8220;My name has never appeared in court documents, depositions, victim statements, or FBI interviews surrounding the Epstein matter,&#8221; she said. &#8220;I have never had any knowledge of Epstein’s abuse of his victims.  I was never involved in any capacity — I was not a participant, was never on Epstein’s plane, and never visited his private island. I have never been legally accused or convicted of a crime in connection with Epstein’s sex trafficking, abuse of minors, and other repulsive behavior.&#8221;
Those who attempt to link her to Epstein are trying to damage her name for political and financial reasons, she said, calling the claims &#8220;false smears&#8221; from &#8220;mean-spirited and politically motivated individuals and entities.&#8221;
The First Lady says that she and her attorneys have successfully fought back against Epstein-related claims against her, noting that they will continue to fight to protect her reputation.
&#8220;To date, several individuals and companies have been legally obligated to publicly apologize and retract their lies about me, such as The Daily Beast, James Carville, and HarperCollins UK,&#8221; she said.
She also called for Congress to hold a hearing for the Epstein victims, one &#8220;specifically centered around the survivors.&#8221; She called for the victims to testify under oath in front of Congress and have their testimonies &#8220;permanently entered into the Congressional Record.&#8221;
&#8220;Now is the time for Congress to act,&#8221; she said. &#8220;Epstein was not alone. Several prominent male executives resigned from their powerful positions after this matter became widely politicized. Of course, this doesn’t amount to guilt, but we still must work openly and transparently to uncover the truth.&#8221;

US-POLITICS-FIRST LADY-TRUMP

‘The Lies…Need To End Today’: Melania Trump Stuns With Appearance To Deny Jeffrey Epstein Claims

Melania Trump

Former President Bill Clinton faced multiple questions surrounding a Jeffrey Epstein-related photo that showed him soaking in a hot tub with an unknown woman.
During his four-and-a-half-hour deposition before the House Oversight Committee last week, Clinton was handed the hot tub photo. The woman&#8217;s face was redacted in the Justice Department&#8217;s Epstein files dump.
The former president, who took dozens of trips with Epstein in the early 2000s, said that the photo was taken in Brunei, a small country in Southeast Asia. Clinton testified that he does not remember who the woman in the photo is.
&#8220;I had forgotten that there was anybody in the hot tub,&#8221; Clinton told lawmakers, adding, &#8220;I don&#8217;t know who that is.&#8221;
Asked if he engaged in any sexual activity with the woman in the photo, Clinton responded, &#8220;No.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_1018045" style="width: 779px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1018045" class="wp-image-1018045 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/G8kCH3HXQAEQOZ--769x576.jpeg" alt="" width="769" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/G8kCH3HXQAEQOZ--769x576.jpeg 769w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/G8kCH3HXQAEQOZ--300x225.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/G8kCH3HXQAEQOZ--768x575.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/G8kCH3HXQAEQOZ-.jpeg 880w" sizes=" (max-width: 769px) 100vw, 769px" />Image via Justice Department</div>
Clinton said the hot tub was in the same area as a large pool where other people were swimming when the photo was taken. Asked if anyone in the pool area was a minor, Clinton said, &#8220;No.&#8221; He also said that he believes a Secret Service agent was &#8220;at the other end of the pool.&#8221; Another photo released by the Justice Department shows Clinton swimming in the pool with Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell and a woman whose face was redacted.
Clinton said the pool area was not public and was on a hotel floor next to multiple suites where the former president and his team were staying on invitation from the sultan of Brunei. Clinton testified that he swam in the pool and enjoyed the hot tub for a brief time late at night before going to bed.
&#8220;I swam around, I sat in the hot tub for five minutes or whatever it was, and I got up and went to bed,&#8221; he said.
<div id="attachment_1018041" style="width: 787px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1018041" class="wp-image-1018041 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/ClintonMaxwellPool-777x576.jpeg" alt="" width="777" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/ClintonMaxwellPool-777x576.jpeg 777w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/ClintonMaxwellPool-300x222.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/ClintonMaxwellPool-768x569.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/ClintonMaxwellPool.jpeg 946w" sizes=" (max-width: 777px) 100vw, 777px" />Image via Justice Department</div>
Clinton joined Epstein on the financier&#8217;s infamous airplane at least 26 times. Many of the trips were part of Clinton&#8217;s global AIDS initiative, according to the former president.
Clinton testified that he took his final flight on Epstein&#8217;s &#8220;Lolita Express&#8221; in 2003, five years before Epstein pleaded guilty to soliciting a child for prostitution. Asked why he stopped traveling with the well-connected financier, Clinton said that after his AIDS initiative &#8220;picked up steam,&#8221; he began receiving offers from other people he &#8220;knew better&#8221; and &#8220;really cared about the work&#8221; who wanted to help with transportation.
&#8220;I thought Mr. Epstein was an interesting man, but I didn&#8217;t think he was really interested in what I was doing,&#8221; he added. Clinton said he had an agreement with Epstein. The late financier would provide the private jet for transportation. On those trips, Clinton said he would chat with Epstein about politics and economics.
&#8220;He never asked me anything untoward,&#8221; Clinton said of Epstein. &#8220;It&#8217;s just I thought I had done what I promised, what I promised to do, and he had done what he promised to do. And I&#8217;ve always, over the years, with donors, tried not to overstay my welcome.&#8221;
Clinton said he first learned of Epstein&#8217;s sex crimes in 2008 when he pleaded guilty.
&#8220;There&#8217;s nothing that I saw when I was around him that made me realize he was trafficking women,&#8221; the former president added.
Watch Clinton&#8217;s full deposition:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="The Deposition of President Bill Clinton on the Epstein Probe" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rgJrYKAl6T0?start=15085&#038;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Epstein/Clinton

WATCH: Bill Clinton Asked Point Blank If He Had Sex With Woman In Epstein Hot Tub Photo

Bill Clinton Grilled About Epstein Photo Showing Him Soaking In Hot Tub With Unknown Woman

Bill Clinton

Epstein Files

The Jeffrey Epstein-related deposition of former President Bill Clinton before the House Oversight Committee concluded around six hours after it began on Friday, with Clinton often getting &#8220;candid&#8221; with lawmakers.
The Republican lawmakers who attended the hearing said that Clinton was very cooperative as the former president attempted to answer each question from lawmakers and often spoke more candidly &#8220;than his attorneys were comfortable with.&#8221; House Committee Chairman James Comer, who oversaw the hearing, said the deposition was &#8220;historical.&#8221;
&#8220;I believe that in the history of Congress, the two highest ranking to ever be deposed by Congress would be President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton,&#8221; Comer added. &#8220;This is a serious investigation, and we will continue to try to get the truth to the American people and justice for the victims.&#8221;
Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina thanked Clinton for cooperating during the hearing.
&#8220;He did attempt to respond to every single question asked, even when his attorneys told him to shut up, he kept going,&#8221; Mace said.
Neither Clinton nor the Democratic committee members addressed the media outside after the hearing like the Republicans did.
The Oversight Committee said it will release video of both Bill and Hillary Clinton&#8217;s depositions within 24 hours, adding that transcripts of the hearings will be released once the Clintons&#8217; lawyers approve them. Comer promised to subpoena more people who were connected to Epstein to testify before the committee, but he didn&#8217;t reveal who the committee&#8217;s next target would be.
Earlier on Friday, Comer said that Clinton discussed President Donald Trump during his deposition on Jeffrey Epstein on Friday. Comer said that when Democrats asked former President Clinton what he knew about Trump&#8217;s relationship with Epstein, Clinton said that Trump never told him anything that would make it seem like Trump &#8220;was involved&#8221; with Epstein.
&#8220;I know there&#8217;s a lot of obsession about President Trump from the media &#8230; I want to make a statement because [the Democrats] probably won&#8217;t mention this when they come out here,&#8221; Comer said. &#8220;Ranking member [Robert] Garcia asked, &#8216;Should President Trump be called to answer questions from this committee?&#8217; And President Clinton said, &#8216;That&#8217;s for you to decide.&#8217; And [Clinton] went on to say, &#8216;President Trump has never said anything to me to make it seem like he was involved.'&#8221;
Earlier on Friday, President Donald Trump, who was also close to Epstein in the late 1990s and early 2000s, told reporters that he doesn&#8217;t believe Bill Clinton should have been deposed over his relationship with Epstein.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t like seeing him deposed,&#8221; Trump said, adding, &#8220;I like him.&#8221;
Despite Comer suggesting that Bill Clinton&#8217;s deposition would go &#8220;even longer&#8221; than his wife Hillary Clinton&#8217;s testimony, which lasted over six hours on Thursday, the hearing was finished around the same time as the former first lady&#8217;s. Republicans said that Hillary Clinton answered most of their questions, but they were disappointed that the former secretary of state and first lady told them around a dozen times, &#8220;You&#8217;ll have to ask my husband,&#8221; Comer said.
&#8220;So, we have a lot of questions for her husband tomorrow,&#8221; the House Oversight chairman <a href="https://x.com/GOPoversight/status/2027207016964300899">told</a> reporters on Thursday evening. &#8220;And I&#8217;m confident that deposition will last even longer than this one.&#8221;
Former President Clinton posted his opening statement on social media shortly after his closed-door testimony kicked off. In his statement, which was much shorter than that of his wife&#8217;s, the former president claimed that he &#8220;saw nothing&#8221; and &#8220;did nothing wrong.&#8221; He also said that members of Congress will likely hear him say &#8220;I don&#8217;t recall&#8221; numerous times during the deposition.
&#8220;That might be unsatisfying. But I&#8217;m not going to say something I&#8217;m not sure of,&#8221; Clinton added. &#8220;This was a long time ago, and I am bound by my oath not to speculate, or to guess.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
As someone who grew up in a home with domestic abuse, not only would I not have flown on his plane if I had any inkling of what he was doing—I would have turned him in myself and led the call for justice for his crimes, not sweetheart deals. <a href="https://t.co/0rX8cat5Pu">pic.twitter.com/0rX8cat5Pu</a>
— Bill Clinton (@BillClinton) <a href="https://twitter.com/BillClinton/status/2027424128559452573?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" async="" charset="utf-8"></script>
The &#8220;I don’t recall&#8221; line became closely associated with Bill Clinton during prior legal proceedings — most notably his 1998 grand jury testimony during the Monica Lewinsky investigation, where variations of memory-related responses were widely discussed and scrutinized.
Just before 12:30 p.m. ET, Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida gave an update to reporters and said Bill Clinton was &#8220;cooperative and answering questions.&#8221;
&#8220;I don&#8217;t have reason to believe he&#8217;s hiding the ball on anything. He&#8217;s been pretty transparent,&#8221; Luna added.
Before heading inside to begin Bill Clinton&#8217;s deposition on Friday, Comer called it &#8220;a historical day for the United States Congress.&#8221;
&#8220;We already had a big portfolio of questions for him, but that increased yesterday,&#8221; Comer added.
Republican Congresswoman Nancy Mace said on Friday morning that Hillary Clinton did not want to answer questions about the photos that show her husband hanging out with Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, along with  unknown women. Mace also accused Hillary Clinton of responding to some of her “pointed” questions by “screaming.”
“She was unhinged,” Mace added. “And I hope that President Clinton is less unhinged today than his wife was yesterday.”
Mace also called for the Oversight Committee to subpoena Trump&#8217;s Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, a move that California Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna said would have the support of Democrats. Lutnick met with Epstein multiple times, including at least one time on Epstein&#8217;s infamous island. The Commerce secretary said that he did not engage in or witness any illegal activity, and Lutnick has not been accused of any wrongdoing related to Epstein&#8217;s crimes.
Asked about a potential Lutnick subpoena, Trump said the Commerce secretary is &#8220;innocent&#8221; and would &#8220;go in and say whatever he has to say.&#8221;
On Thursday evening, Hillary Clinton spoke to reporters outside the performing arts center where her deposition took place in Chappaqua, New York, and blasted Republicans for asking &#8220;very repetitive&#8221; questions after she stated that she never met Epstein. Hillary Clinton also suggested that her husband will focus on the &#8220;chronology&#8221; of his relationship with Epstein and argue that he only spent time with the financier before Epstein was charged and pleaded guilty to soliciting a child for prostitution.
&#8220;I think it is fair to say that the vast majority of people who had contact with [Epstein] before his criminal pleas in &#8217;08 were like most people, they did not know what he was doing,&#8221; Hillary Clinton said. &#8220;And I think that is exactly what my husband will testify to tomorrow.&#8221;
The former president will likely have much more to address during his deposition than his wife, as Bill Clinton traveled numerous times on Epstein&#8217;s private plane. He also appears in multiple instances in the Epstein files recently released by the Justice Department, including in photos that show the former president schmoozing with Epstein and Maxwell, as well as multiple photos that show Bill Clinton in a swimming pool with Maxwell and enjoying a hot tub with a woman whose face was redacted.
The former president was also seen in a picture getting a back massage from Chauntae Davies, one of Epstein’s accusers. Davies has not accused Clinton of acting inappropriately.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-1018041 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/ClintonMaxwellPool-777x576.jpeg" alt="" width="777" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/ClintonMaxwellPool-777x576.jpeg 777w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/ClintonMaxwellPool-300x222.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/ClintonMaxwellPool-768x569.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/ClintonMaxwellPool.jpeg 946w" sizes=" (max-width: 777px) 100vw, 777px" /></div>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-1018045 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/G8kCH3HXQAEQOZ--769x576.jpeg" alt="" width="769" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/G8kCH3HXQAEQOZ--769x576.jpeg 769w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/G8kCH3HXQAEQOZ--300x225.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/G8kCH3HXQAEQOZ--768x575.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/G8kCH3HXQAEQOZ-.jpeg 880w" sizes=" (max-width: 769px) 100vw, 769px" /></div>
Comer said on Friday before the deposition that House Republicans plan to ask Bill Clinton about the photos as well as his trips on Epstein’s private jet.
House Democrats also made a few comments before heading into the building for former President Clinton’s deposition. Rep. Robert Garcia of California said that Democrats want “serious answers” from Bill Clinton. Garcia then blasted his Republican colleagues, who Hillary Clinton accused of asking irrelevant questions, including inquiries about UFOs, during Thursday’s deposition.
“What we don’t want is a side show and questions about UFOs, or about conspiracy theories from decades ago, which is what unfortunately happened yesterday,” Garcia said. “A series of bizarre questions were asked of Secretary Clinton.”
The Democrats also repeated their demand from Thursday and urged Republicans to subpoena President Donald Trump. Garcia said that Republicans have “set a new precedent” by asking a former president to testify over his relationship with Epstein.
Neither Bill nor Hillary Clinton has been accused of any wrongdoing related to Epstein&#8217;s sex crimes, and the former president and first lady have stated that they never visited Epstein&#8217;s private island. After photos of Bill Clinton were released among the millions of Epstein-related documents and files by the Justice Department, the former president&#8217;s chief of staff, Angel Ureña, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bill-clinton-responds-to-shocking-photos-in-epstein-file-dump">accused</a> the Trump administration of scapegoating Bill Clinton.
“The White House hasn’t been hiding these files for months only to dump them late on a Friday to protect Bill Clinton,” Ureña said. “This is about shielding themselves from what comes next, or from what they’ll try and hide forever. So they can release as many grainy, 20-plus-year-old photos as they want, but this isn’t about Bill Clinton. Never has, never will be.”
Documents released by the Justice Department also show that Maxwell had a major role in the founding of the Clinton Global Initiative, a project of the Clinton Foundation to bring world leaders together to discuss future action. While coordinating with Epstein, Maxwell took part in budget discussions when the former president was first attempting to launch the initiative in 2004, just two years before Epstein was indicted, The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/08/us/politics/epstein-clintons-maxwell.html">reported</a>.
Maxwell, a British former socialite, told the Justice Department during an interview last year that Bill Clinton was her friend, &#8220;not Epstein&#8217;s friend.&#8221;
This is a developing story; refresh the page for updates.

clinton_epstein_montage

Clinton Got ‘Candid’ In Epstein Deposition And It Made His Lawyers Uncomfortable

Hillary Clinton

Illinois businessman Thomas Pritzker said Monday he was stepping down from his executive position at the Hyatt hotel corporation over his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell. 
Emails released by the Justice Department show Pritzker corresponding with Epstein in the years after his 2008 convictions for solicitation of prostitution and solicitation of a minor. Pritzker is the cousin of Democratic Governor JB Pritzker and has been the executive chair of Hyatt for over two decades. 
“Good stewardship also means protecting Hyatt, particularly in the context of my association with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell which I deeply regret. I exercised terrible judgment in maintaining contact with them, and there is no excuse for failing to distance myself sooner,” Pritzker said in a <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260216864815/en/Tom-Pritzker-Retires-as-Executive-Chairman-of-Hyatt-After-22-Years-of-Service-and-Will-Not-Stand-for-Reelection-to-Board-of-Directors">news release</a>. “I condemn the actions and the harm caused by Epstein and Maxwell and I feel deep sorrow for the pain they inflicted on their victims.”
In a letter to the Hyatt board on Monday, Pritzker said he would not seek to continue as executive chair after his term ends in June 2026. 
“When I look at my care for Hyatt, my respect for good governance and the focus that [my wife] and I have on our legacy, they all lead me to conclude that what is right for Hyatt and for me is that I retire as Executive Chairman of Hyatt effective immediately and not stand for reelection at our 2026 annual shareholder’s meeting,” he wrote in the letter. 
The announcement came after emails showed him corresponding with Epstein about a variety of topics. In one email from May 2012, Pritzker boasted to Epstein about attending an apparent dinner with high-ranking Chinese officials. 
“It was beyond awesome. I should have pushed you to go,” Pritzker <a href="https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00712657.pdf">wrote</a>. “Hot sh*t in a cool place.”
Another email exchange from July 2012 included Pritzker <a href="https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00629316.pdf">telling</a> Epstein, “Still at same coordinates. Took a bath this week,” and “more good news. Expect to take a bath again next week.”
Other emails included in the Justice Department Epstein files include emails between Epstein and his associates <a href="https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02441069.pdf">scheduling calls</a> and <a href="https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02246837.pdf">appointments</a> between Pritzker and Epstein. 
Hyatt praised Pritzker in a statement following his announcement. 
“Tom’s leadership has been instrumental in shaping Hyatt’s strategy and long-term growth, and we thank him for his service and dedication to Hyatt,” said Richard Tuttle, the chair of Hyatt’s nominating and corporate governance committee.
Over the years, Pritzker made significant <a href="https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=Thomas+Pritzker">political contributions</a> to both Democratic and Republican political candidates, including former President Barack Obama, John McCain, Mitt Romney, Senator Cory Booker (D-NY), and Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR). 
The release of the Epstein files has led to a shakeup in the business and political world. 
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/keir-starmer-in-hot-seat-after-admitting-he-knew-appointee-was-close-to-epstein">faced pressure</a> after emails shed new light on the relationship between former U.S. Ambassador Lord Peter Mandelson and Epstein. Last week, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/top-obama-white-house-lawyer-out-at-goldman-sachs-after-cozy-uncle-jeffrey-emails-with-epstein?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=SEE+IT%3A+‘Uncle+Jeffrey%2C’+Birthday+Wishes+And+‘Xo’+Emails+Rock+Obama-Era+Insider">Kathryn Ruemmler</a>, Obama’s longest-serving White House counsel, announced that she would be leaving Goldman Sachs after emails revealed her cozy relationship with Epstein.
The Trump administration has also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-cabinet-secretary-confirms-he-visited-epsteins-island-with-wife-and-children-in-2012">faced questions</a> after Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told senators last week that he visited Epstein’s Little Saint James Island with his wife and children in 2012.

MixCollage-17-Feb-2026-10-17-AM-917

Epstein Fallout Forces Top Hotel Exec To Leave — He’s JB Pritzker’s Cousin

'Terrible Judgement': Top Illinois Hotel Exec Exiting Position Over Epstein Ties

Department of Justice

Illinois

JB Pritzker

Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who pled the Fifth Amendment and refused to answer questions before the House Oversight Committee on Monday, said she would only testify on the convicted pedophile&#8217;s crimes if President Donald Trump grants her clemency, her lawyer said.
Maxwell appeared virtually from prison before the House Oversight Committee on Monday, but she kept quiet, using her constitutional right against self-incrimination. After her deposition, the convicted sex trafficker&#8217;s lawyer, David Markus, said that Maxwell would &#8220;speak fully and honestly&#8221; about her knowledge of her and Epstein&#8217;s crimes if Trump granted her clemency. Markus said that Maxwell would also &#8220;explain why&#8221; both Trump and former President Bill Clinton are &#8220;innocent of any wrongdoing,&#8221; CBS News <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ghislaine-maxwell-house-oversight-committee-deposition-fifth-amendment/#">reported</a>.
&#8220;If this committee and the American public truly want to hear the unfiltered truth about what happened, there is a straightforward path. Ms. Maxwell is prepared to speak fully and honestly if granted clemency by President Trump,&#8221; Markus said. &#8220;Only she can provide the complete account. Some may not like what they hear, but the truth matters. For example, both President Trump and President Clinton are innocent of any wrongdoing. Ms. Maxwell alone can explain why, and the public is entitled to that explanation.&#8221;
House Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-KY) said following the deposition that he was &#8220;disappointed,&#8221; but not surprised by Maxwell&#8217;s refusal to talk.
&#8220;We had many questions to ask about the crimes she and Epstein committed, as well as questions about potential co-conspirators,&#8221; Comer said. &#8220;We sincerely want to get to the truth for the American people and justice for survivors.&#8221;
Maxwell is currently serving out a 20-year prison sentence for her role in Epstein&#8217;s sex trafficking scheme and has been pushing for a pardon from President Trump, who has shown no indication that he&#8217;s considering what would be one of the most controversial pardons in U.S. history.
Both Trump and Clinton appear numerous times in the photos and documents from Epstein&#8217;s estate that have been released by the Justice Department, but none of the evidence incriminates the presidents in any wrongdoing related to Epstein&#8217;s crimes. Trump and Clinton have also not been accused of any wrongdoing by Epstein&#8217;s victims.
In a 2019 interview with the Justice Department, then-Palm Beach police chief Michael Reiter said that Trump called him in 2006 as Epstein crimes came to light and said that &#8220;everyone has known he&#8217;s been doing this.&#8221; The interview, which was part of the Justice Department&#8217;s Epstein files dump, was first reported on by the Miami Herald on Monday. Trump also told the police chief in 2006 to &#8220;focus on&#8221; Maxwell, saying, &#8220;She is evil,&#8221; according to Reiter.
Maxwell met with U.S. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche for multiple hours-long <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ghislaine-maxwell-reveals-whether-she-believes-epstein-committed-suicide">interviews</a> in July and was grilled for information on Epstein and those associated with him. During the interview with Blanche, Maxwell confirmed that high-profile men, such as Trump and Clinton, had close ties with Epstein, but added she never saw either man act inappropriately with a woman of any age. Maxwell had glowing remarks for Trump, telling the Justice Department, &#8220;The president was never inappropriate with anybody. In the times that I was with him, he was a gentleman in all respects.&#8221;
During her deposition on Monday, Maxwell&#8217;s lawyer again said that Maxwell has no reason to believe that Trump or Clinton are guilty of any wrongdoing, according to Arizona Republican Rep. Andy Biggs, who was at the closed-door hearing. Democrat Rep. Suhas Subramanyam of Virginia said that Maxwell&#8217;s proposition &#8220;is all strategy for her to try to get a pardon from President Trump.&#8221;
The top Democrat on the Oversight Committee, Rep. Robert Garcia of California, claimed that Maxwell has already been given &#8220;special treatment&#8221; by the White House. Shortly after her meeting with the Justice Department last summer, Maxwell was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ghislaine-maxwell-moved-from-florida-prison-to-lower-security-facility">moved</a> from a low-security prison in Florida to a minimum-security prison in Texas. In October, the Supreme Court declined to hear Maxwell&#8217;s appeal to overturn her conviction.
Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-hes-allowed-to-pardon-ghislaine-maxwell-keeps-option-open-after-doj-meeting">said</a> last July that he had &#8220;not thought about&#8221; pardoning Maxwell. Three months later, Trump <a href="https://www.c-span.org/clip/white-house-event/user-clip-president-trump-will-look-into-possible-ghislaine-maxwell-pardon/5174684">said</a> he would &#8220;take a look at&#8221; Maxwell&#8217;s case and &#8220;speak to the DOJ.&#8221;
&#8220;A lot of people have asked me for a pardon,&#8221; he added.
Later this month, the House Oversight is scheduled to grill former President Clinton and former Secretary of State and first lady Hillary Clinton over their ties to Epstein.

Trump, Knauss, Epstein, & Maxwell At Mar-A-Lago

Ghislaine Maxwell Will Only Testify On Epstein If Trump Gives Her What She Wants, Lawyer Says

Crime

Donald Trump

Trump Administration

Former Secretary of State and first lady Hillary Clinton on Thursday requested that her and former President Bill Clinton&#8217;s Jeffrey Epstein-related testimonies be public and on camera.
Clinton, who, along with her husband, finally agreed to appear for depositions before the House Oversight Committee later this month, accused House Republicans of playing &#8220;games&#8221; when they issued subpoenas for the Clintons to testify on their relationship with the late convicted sex offender. The House Oversight Committee is investigating the crimes committed by Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell as the Justice Department continues to release millions of documents from the case.
&#8220;For six months, we engaged Republicans on the Oversight Committee in good faith. We told them what we know, under oath,&#8221; Clinton <a href="https://x.com/HillaryClinton/status/2019394857312399796">said</a>. &#8220;They ignored all of it. They moved the goalposts and turned accountability into an exercise in distraction.&#8221;
&#8220;So let’s stop the games,&#8221; she added. &#8220;If you want this fight, [Rep. James Comer (R-KY)], let’s have it—in public. You love to talk about transparency. There’s nothing more transparent than a public hearing, cameras on. We will be there.&#8221;
Comer <a href="https://x.com/bennyjohnson/status/2019449373860544596">responded</a> to Clinton&#8217;s request and told conservative podcaster Benny Johnson that the testimonies &#8220;will be public&#8221; since the committee will release the transcripts, as well as audio and video. The depositions are scheduled to be recorded, with the recordings and transcripts released later, but Comer suggested that the committee is considering live-streaming the hearings.
&#8220;We hadn&#8217;t planned on it being live, but we&#8217;re seeing the legality of that, and it&#8217;s never been done before,&#8221; Comer said.
Earlier this week, the Clintons agreed to appear for depositions as the House was preparing to vote to hold the Democrats in contempt of Congress. The Clintons did not appear for their scheduled depositions last month, sparking outrage from Republican lawmakers who quickly began contempt proceedings.
Last week, nine Democrats joined with all Republicans on the House Oversight Committee to hold former President Bill Clinton in contempt, and three Democrats voted with Republicans to hold Hillary Clinton in contempt. The full House vote on holding the Democratic couple in contempt was expected to take place on Wednesday, but on Monday, the Clintons changed course and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/clintons-cave-agree-to-testify-in-house-epstein-investigation">agreed</a> to appear for their depositions.
Hillary Clinton is scheduled to appear before the Oversight Committee on February 26, while Bill Clinton is set to testify on February 27. Oversight Committee Chairman Comer <a href="https://oversight.house.gov/release/chairman-comer-announces-the-clintons-caved-will-appear-for-depositions/">said</a> the Clintons &#8220;completely caved&#8221; after &#8220;it became clear that the House of Representatives would hold them in contempt.&#8221;
&#8220;We look forward to questioning the Clintons as part of our investigation into the horrific crimes of Epstein and Maxwell, to deliver transparency and accountability for the American people and for survivors,&#8221; Comer added.
The Clintons have not been accused of any wrongdoing related to Epstein&#8217;s sex crimes. Bill Clinton was a friend of Epstein&#8217;s in the early 2000s, traveling with the financier numerous times on Epstein&#8217;s plane, which was used for sex trafficking. The former president was also seen in a picture getting a back massage from Chauntae Davies, one of Epstein&#8217;s accusers. None of Epstein&#8217;s victims has accused Bill Clinton of any wrongdoing.
The Clintons have argued that they &#8220;already provided the limited information they possess about Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell&#8221; in sworn statements they sent to the Oversight Committee. Comer, however, said that the Clintons need to answer questions under oath.

Hillary Clinton/James Comer

Hillary Clinton Challenges House Oversight Chair To Hold Her Epstein Deposition ‘In Public’

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department cautioned Friday that the files it released today tied to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein contain &#8220;sensationalist&#8221; false claims about President Donald Trump.
These numerous &#8220;sensationalist&#8221; claims, according to the DOJ, were submitted right before the 2020 election, in an apparent attempt to stop Trump from winning the presidential election. These claims include graphic assertions of sexual misconduct, including that the president raped a 13-year-old girl (for that specific allegation, the accuser did not leave any contact information, leaving authorities unable to contact the accuser).
Next to another one of the allegations, one claiming that the president attended &#8220;big orgy parties&#8221; with young girls, authorities specifically wrote that they deemed the complainant making this allegation to be &#8220;not credible,&#8221; writing: &#8220;Additional research showed 3 separate incidents involving police which resulted in mandatory psychiatric evaluations.&#8221;
The White House referred The Daily Wire to the DOJ&#8217;s notice that &#8220;this production may include fake or falsely submitted images, documents or videos, as everything that was sent to the FBI by the public was included in the production that is responsive to the Act.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_1036497" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/doj-latest-epstein-files-contain-sensationalist-claims-against-trump-from-2020-election/deputy-attorney-general-todd-blanche-holds-news-conference-at-justice-department" rel="attachment wp-att-1036497"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1036497" class="wp-image-1036497 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/GettyImages-2259093387-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/GettyImages-2259093387-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/GettyImages-2259093387-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/GettyImages-2259093387-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/GettyImages-2259093387.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" /></a>WASHINGTON, DC &#8211; JANUARY 30: Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche speaks at a news conference to announce an update on the Epstein files at the Department of Justice on January 30, 2026 in Washington, DC.  (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)</div>
&#8220;Some of the documents contain untrue and sensationalist claims against President Trump that were submitted to the FBI right before the 2020 election,&#8221; the DOJ said in a release. &#8220;To be clear, the claims are unfounded and false, and if they have a shred of credibility, they certainly would have been weaponized against President Trump already.&#8221;
Three million additional files <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/justice-department-releases-millions-more-epstein-files">were released on Friday</a> as part of the “Epstein Files Transparency Act,&#8221; bringing the total number of files released to 3.5 million. During a presser on Friday, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said that officials erred on the side of “over collection,&#8221; releasing more than 180,000 photos and 2,000 videos.
Not all of these videos and pictures actually depict Epstein, Blanche said. Many of the items released on Friday contain “large quantities of commercial pornography and images that were seized from Epstein’s devices, which he did not take or that someone around him did not take.”
“Some of the videos, though, and some of the images do appear to be taken by Mr. Epstein or by others around him,” Blanche noted.
Pictures of women that were released Friday were redacted, since these women are considered potential victims, with the one exception of Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein&#8217;s cohort, currently imprisoned for her part in Epstein&#8217;s crimes. Blanche said that none of the photos of men were redacted unless it was necessary to redact the man in order to redact a woman.
According to Blanche, the White House did not have any oversight role in the reviewing of the documents. DOJ says more than 500 reviewers and attorneys at the DOJ participated in the process of readying and reviewing the documents.
“I don’t have anything to share about what’s new and what’s not new,” the deputy attorney general responded when asked whether the documents would expose high-profile individuals. In its release, the DOJ did say that “notable individuals and politicians were not redacted in the release of any files.”
The files released Friday were from five primary sources, according to the DOJ: &#8220;the New York case against Maxwell, the New York cases investigating Epstein’s death, the Florida case investigating a former butler of Epstein, Multiple FBI investigations, and the Office of Inspector General investigation into Epstein’s death.&#8221;

Jeffrey Epstein Mug Shot

DOJ: Latest Epstein Files Contain ‘Sensationalist’ Claims Against Trump From 2020 Election

General

Legacy media hosts spent a good part of Sunday morning discussing the hundreds of thousands of pages of photos and documents — all related to the late convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein — that were released to the public on Friday.
For those who don&#8217;t spend their Sunday mornings glued to the television — and their Sunday afternoons attempting to dig through a week&#8217;s worth of network and cable news media spin — The Daily Wire has compiled a short summary of what you may have missed.
Nearly all of them were concerned that too much information had been redacted, and some were also complaining that the document dump — despite its volume — did not account for the remainder of the information that had been covered under the Epstein Transparency Act.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) — who can be counted among the majority of Democrats who exhibited zero interest in releasing the Epstein files when his party had control of the House, the Senate, and the White House — joined ABC News anchor Jonathan Karl on &#8220;This Week&#8221; to complain about the fact that not everything was released on Friday.
&#8220;I think there needs to be a full and complete explanation and then a full and complete investigation as to why the document production has fallen short of what the law clearly required,&#8221; he said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries reacts to the partial release of the Epstein files: “I think there needs to be a full and complete explanation and then a full and complete investigation as to why the document production has fallen short of what the law clearly required.” <a href="https://t.co/edYpn3KR1k">pic.twitter.com/edYpn3KR1k</a>
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/2002753628575015170?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) suggested that it was a mistake to release any of the files if they were not going to release everything at once: &#8220;Any kind of indication that there&#8217;s not a full reveal on this will just plague them for months and months more. So my suggestion would be, give up all the information, release it.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Sen. Paul calls the partial release of the Epstein files “a big mistake” for the administration: “Any kind of indication that there&#8217;s not a full reveal on this will just plague them for months and months more. So my suggestion would be, give up all the information, release it.” <a href="https://t.co/ezw1nuZJ40">pic.twitter.com/ezw1nuZJ40</a>
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/2002766554379800837?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
On CBS News, &#8220;Face the Nation&#8221; guest Reps. Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Thomas Massie (R-KY) claimed that the Justice Department was &#8220;flouting the letter and the spirit of the law&#8221; with the Friday document dump because it was incomplete and because it was so heavily redacted.
&#8220;I won’t be satisfied until the survivors are satisfied,&#8221; Massie said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The Department of Justice is “flouting the spirit and the letter of the law” with its initial release of thousands of new records related to Jeffrey Epstein that include heavily-redacted pages, says Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY). He tells @margbrennnan the Trump administration’s… <a href="https://t.co/05MgVtIqrf">pic.twitter.com/05MgVtIqrf</a>
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) <a href="https://twitter.com/FaceTheNation/status/2002811224153633040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;They sent a six-page memo to Congress and they cited pre-existing laws as reasons that they weren&#8217;t going to follow our law,&#8221; Massie added, claiming that he knew of a number of men accused of sex crimes related to Epstein whose names were not included in the released documents, and was unsure as to whether they&#8217;d ever be released.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) says he has been told of at least 20 men accused of sex crimes known to the FBI related to Jeffrey Epstein, but tells <a href="https://twitter.com/margbrennan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@margbrennan</a> he didn’t see the names in the files the Justice Department has released so far and isn’t optimistic they’ll ever be… <a href="https://t.co/xInQWaxKOD">pic.twitter.com/xInQWaxKOD</a>
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) <a href="https://twitter.com/FaceTheNation/status/2002812237052801150?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Khanna suggested that Congress could hold Attorney General Pam Bondi in contempt over the release, adding, &#8220;I believe we’re going to get bipartisan support in holding her accountable and a committee of Congress should determine whether these redactions are justified or not.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Ro Khanna (D-CA) say they’ll take action against the Trump administration for its partial release of the Epstein files, including using Congress’ inherent contempt powers against Attorney General Pam Bondi.
“I believe we’re going to get bipartisan… <a href="https://t.co/0kBoVdCA9V">pic.twitter.com/0kBoVdCA9V</a>
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) <a href="https://twitter.com/FaceTheNation/status/2002812622324785652?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
One of the storylines a number of them fixated on came from early reports that suggested a number of the redactions were made to protect not just victims but people who were considered to be politically connected. This narrative picked up steam quickly as it was revealed that a handful of the photos that were released in Friday were quickly pulled down — a move that Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said was made out of concern that some of the women in the photos might need to have their identities redacted.
Of course, the fact that one of the photos appeared to include President Donald Trump quickly became media fodder as well, and host Margaret Brennan asked Khanna about that directly.
&#8220;I am less concerned about that photo,&#8221; Khanna said of the Trump photo. &#8220;I don&#8217;t know the facts. My concern is the major documents that we know are out there that haven&#8217;t been released.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
When asked about 15 images being pulled down from the Justice Department&#8217;s Epstein files website, including a photo of a drawer with a picture of President Trump, Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) says, “I am less concerned about that photo.”
“I don&#8217;t know the facts. My concern is the major… <a href="https://t.co/P3ivwYLeRu">pic.twitter.com/P3ivwYLeRu</a>
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) <a href="https://twitter.com/FaceTheNation/status/2002813144784134144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
On &#8220;Meet the Press,&#8221; NBC anchor Kristen Welker asked Deputy AG Todd Blanch directly about the Trump photo — and asked whether any of the redactions had been done because of potential embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity.&#8221;
Blanche&#8217;s reply was simple: &#8220;Absolutely, positively not.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NBC: Has anything in the Epstein Files been redacted on that basis of &#8217;embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity&#8217;?
Todd Blanche: &#8220;Absolutely, positively not.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/bwGtieJJgC">pic.twitter.com/bwGtieJJgC</a>
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) <a href="https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/2002749527623876652?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
And on CNN&#8217;s &#8220;State of the Union,&#8221; Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) — who also showed no interest in releasing the Epstein files until President Trump won reelection — said that he was ready to pull out all the stops in his effort to ensure the Trump administration was held accountable for failing to issue a full and complete release.
&#8220;Everything is on the table,&#8221; he said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Rep. Jamie Raskin: &#8220;Everything is on the table&#8221; to force DOJ to release all Epstein files <a href="https://t.co/cIYBzVrZjm">pic.twitter.com/cIYBzVrZjm</a>
— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) <a href="https://twitter.com/CNNSOTU/status/2002775268793241749?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Patrick McMullan Archives

Spin Cycle: The Epstein And [Redacted] Files

ABC News

Alan Dershowitz

CBS News

Media

NBC News

Former President Bill Clinton is claiming he&#8217;s being scapegoated in the wake of the latest Epstein file dump that featured jarring new photos of Clinton with Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted pedophile.
Clinton appears in a number of the images released by the Department of Justice in accordance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which was signed into law by President Donald Trump last month.
Some of the photos show Clinton swimming in a pool with convicted Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell and in a hot tub with at least one unidentified female whose face has been redacted, as reported by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/doj-drops-long-awaited-trove-of-epstein-files-that-includes-shocking-bill-clinton-pics?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=DOJ+Drops+Long-Awaited+Trove+Of+Epstein+Files+That+Includes+Shocking+Bill+Clinton+Pics">The Daily Wire</a>. Notably, according to the DOJ, the only faces that would be redacted would be those of minors, alleged victims, and government officials.
Clinton chief of staff Angel Ureña responded in a statement posted to X on Friday evening, saying Clinton cut ties with Epstein after his &#8220;crimes came to light&#8221; and is being scapegoated by the Trump administration.
&#8220;There are two types of people here. The first group knew nothing and cut Epstein off before his crimes came to light,&#8221; Ureña said. &#8220;The second group continued relationships with him after. We&#8217;re in the first. No amount of stalling by people in the second group will change that.&#8221;
&#8220;Everyone, especially MAGA, expects answers, not scapegoats,&#8221; he added.
<div id="mntl-sc-block_5-0" class="comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-adslot mntl-block">
<div id="attachment_1018041" style="width: 787px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1018041" class="wp-image-1018041 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/ClintonMaxwellPool-777x576.jpeg" alt="" width="777" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/ClintonMaxwellPool-777x576.jpeg 777w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/ClintonMaxwellPool-300x222.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/ClintonMaxwellPool-768x569.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/ClintonMaxwellPool.jpeg 946w" sizes=" (max-width: 777px) 100vw, 777px" />Department of Justice </div>
</div>
&#8220;The White House hasn&#8217;t been hiding these files for months only to dump them late on a Friday to protect Bill Clinton,&#8221; the statement from Ureña said. &#8220;This is about shielding themselves from what comes next, or from what they&#8217;ll try and hide forever. So they can release as many grainy, 20-plus-year-old photos as they want, but this isn&#8217;t about Bill Clinton. Never has, never will be.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://t.co/WziMmbKlnj">pic.twitter.com/WziMmbKlnj</a>
— Angel Ureña (@angelurena) <a href="https://twitter.com/angelurena/status/2002159039183269993?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
<div id="attachment_1018045" style="width: 779px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1018045" class="wp-image-1018045 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/G8kCH3HXQAEQOZ--769x576.jpeg" alt="" width="769" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/G8kCH3HXQAEQOZ--769x576.jpeg 769w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/G8kCH3HXQAEQOZ--300x225.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/G8kCH3HXQAEQOZ--768x575.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/G8kCH3HXQAEQOZ-.jpeg 880w" sizes=" (max-width: 769px) 100vw, 769px" />Department of Justice</div>
Epstein visited the White House multiple times while Clinton was president, according to visitor logs. Additionally, after Clinton left office, Epstein assisted with some of the former president’s philanthropy and Clinton flew numerous times on Epstein’s private jet, the Associated Press <a href="https://www.wdtv.com/2025/12/20/photos-bill-clinton-included-newly-released-epstein-files/">reports</a>.
<div id="attachment_1018077" style="width: 884px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1018077" class="wp-image-1018077 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-20-at-9.25.57-AM-874x576.png" alt="" width="874" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-20-at-9.25.57-AM-874x576.png 874w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-20-at-9.25.57-AM-300x198.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-20-at-9.25.57-AM-768x506.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-20-at-9.25.57-AM.png 1180w" sizes=" (max-width: 874px) 100vw, 874px" />Department of Justice </div>
Clinton was impeached in 1998 for lying under oath and obstructing justice when he denied engaging in a sexual relationship with Monica Lewinsky, who was 22 years old when the affair started. The former president ultimately <a href="https://www.wdtv.com/2025/12/20/photos-bill-clinton-included-newly-released-epstein-files/">confessed</a> to a relationship with Lewinsky, while stressing that “even presidents have private lives.”
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/doj-drops-long-awaited-trove-of-epstein-files-that-includes-shocking-bill-clinton-pics?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=DOJ+Drops+Long-Awaited+Trove+Of+Epstein+Files+That+Includes+Shocking+Bill+Clinton+Pics">DOJ Drops Long-Awaited Trove Of Epstein Files That Includes Shocking Bill Clinton Pics</a>

Bill Clinton Responds To Shocking Photos In Epstein File Dump

The Justice Department released hundreds of thousands of pages — all related to the late convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein — to the public on Friday, including several never-before-seen photos of former President Bill Clinton with the disgraced financier.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche revealed that, thus far, the investigation had uncovered some 1,200 victims — whose names and identifying information have been redacted in order to protect them — and Fox News Digital initially reported that the same treatment had been given to the names of those who were serving as government officials or were considered to be politically connected.
&#8220;Today, the Department of Justice publicly released materials related to Jeffrey Epstein under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Additional responsive materials will be produced as our review continues, consistent with the law and with protections for victims,&#8221; Blanche posted, sharing a <a href="https://www.justice.gov/epstein/">link to the files</a>.
Blanche sent a letter to Congress on Friday — which was obtained by <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/epstein-files-explode-open-doj-details-discovery-powerful-figures-more-than-1200-victims">Fox News Digital</a> — explaining what had been included in the release and what had been redacted.
<blockquote>We write to notify you that today the Department of Justice is producing hundreds of thousands of pages of responsive materials in compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
Under the leadership of President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi, this unprecedented disclosure highlights our commitment to following the law, being transparent, and protecting victims.</blockquote>
Included in the files released Friday were a number of new photos — including a few of Bill Clinton in a pool with convicted Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell and in a hot tub with at least one unidentified female whose face has been redacted. According to the Justice Department&#8217;s own process, the only faces that would be redacted would be those of minors, alleged victims, and government officials.
&nbsp;
<div id="attachment_1018041" style="width: 787px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1018041" class="size-large wp-image-1018041" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/ClintonMaxwellPool-777x576.jpeg" alt="" width="777" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/ClintonMaxwellPool-777x576.jpeg 777w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/ClintonMaxwellPool-300x222.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/ClintonMaxwellPool-768x569.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/ClintonMaxwellPool.jpeg 946w" sizes=" (max-width: 777px) 100vw, 777px" />Image via Justice Department</div>
Blanche also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/epstein-update-trumps-doj-to-miss-friday-deadline-says-its-not-prepared-to-release-all-epstein-files?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=EPSTEIN+UPDATE%3A+Trump%E2%80%99s+DOJ+To+Miss+Friday+Deadline%2C+Says+It%E2%80%99s+Not+Prepared+To+Release+All+Epstein+Files">told</a> &#8220;Fox &amp; Friends&#8221; on Friday that “several hundred thousand” more documents won’t be released until the coming weeks.
<a class="c-link" href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=christmas&amp;utm_content=christmassale25" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=christmas&amp;utm_content=christmassale25" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Christmas Sale &#8211; Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
&#8220;The most important thing that the attorney general has talked about, that [FBI Director Kash] Patel has talked about, is that we protect victims, and so what we are doing is we are looking at every single piece of paper that we are going to produce, making sure that every victim, their name, their identity, their story to the extent that it needs to be protected is completely protected.&#8221;
&nbsp;
<div id="attachment_1018045" style="width: 779px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1018045" class="size-large wp-image-1018045" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/G8kCH3HXQAEQOZ--769x576.jpeg" alt="" width="769" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/G8kCH3HXQAEQOZ--769x576.jpeg 769w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/G8kCH3HXQAEQOZ--300x225.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/G8kCH3HXQAEQOZ--768x575.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/G8kCH3HXQAEQOZ-.jpeg 880w" sizes=" (max-width: 769px) 100vw, 769px" />Image via Justice Department</div>
Some of the documents released on Friday included flight logs, a list of some 200 masseuses that is almost fully redacted, a client list belonging to Epstein, several new photos — most of which are at least partially redacted — and evidence files from the case against Maxwell. It is unclear as yet how much of the information is new and how much has been included in previous releases.
It is also unclear how many of the redactions were made to protect the integrity of any ongoing investigations or pending litigation.

Bill Clinton with Jeffrey Epstein

DOJ Drops Long-Awaited Trove Of Epstein Files That Includes Shocking Bill Clinton Pics

Pedophilia

Sex Trafficking

House Oversight Democrats released 19 photos on Friday that show sex offender Jeffrey Epstein hanging out with prominent figures, including President Donald Trump.
The <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/fq3vn18ltfd83re8ggtle/AHYB3CbERvyT38o_vHllVx4?dl=0&amp;e=2&amp;rlkey=tz5pq4zr9i6nofkpi2g7l5vne&amp;st=rxoz19hb">images,</a> which belong to the Epstein estate, are part of the roughly 95,000 photos in the hands of lawmakers on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. Some of the 19 photos also include former President Bill Clinton, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, filmmaker Woody Allen, and former Trump adviser Steve Bannon.
The photo of Trump that Democrats have zeroed in on is a black-and-white image of a young Trump standing with six women whose faces have been censored to protect their privacy. It&#8217;s unclear where or when the photo was taken.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-1014219 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Trump-Epstein--725x576.jpeg" alt="" width="725" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Trump-Epstein--725x576.jpeg 725w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Trump-Epstein--300x238.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Trump-Epstein--768x610.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Trump-Epstein-.jpeg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 725px) 100vw, 725px" /></div>
Other images from Epstein&#8217;s estate show sex toys, and one photo features a bowl of &#8220;Trump Condoms&#8221; sold for $4.50. The packaging on the condoms shows Trump&#8217;s face with the text, &#8220;I&#8217;m Huuuuge!&#8221; The condoms were made in 2016 as political satire and designed by Fishs Eddy, a housewares and novelty shop in New York City, according to the National Museum of American History. It&#8217;s unclear where or when the photo of the sex toys and condoms were taken.
In another photo released by House Democrats, Trump is standing alongside Epstein and a woman who appears to be model Ingrid Seynhaeve. The photo is from a 1997 Victoria&#8217;s Secret Party in Manhattan, the Daily Mail <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15379413/Supermodel-dazzles-newly-released-Trump-Epstein-party-photo-rumors-secret-romance-Donald.html">reported</a>. Trump and Epstein were pals in the 1990s and early 2000s, before Epstein was charged with sex trafficking.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-1014223 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Trump-Epstein-2-725x576.jpeg" alt="" width="725" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Trump-Epstein-2-725x576.jpeg 725w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Trump-Epstein-2-300x238.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Trump-Epstein-2-768x610.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Trump-Epstein-2.jpeg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 725px) 100vw, 725px" /></div>
None of the photos of Trump released by House Democrats on Friday implicate the president or any of the other men shown in the images. The White House ripped House Democrats for &#8220;selectively releasing cherry-picked photos with random redactions to try and create a false narrative.&#8221;
<a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible c-link--underline" href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=christmas&amp;utm_content=christmassale25" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=christmas&amp;utm_content=christmassale25" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Christmas Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
“The Democrat hoax against President Trump has been repeatedly debunked and the Trump Administration has done more for Epstein’s victims than Democrats ever have by repeatedly calling for transparency, releasing thousands of pages of documents, and calling for further investigations into Epstein’s Democrat friends,” added White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson. “It’s time for the media to stop regurgitating Democrat talking points and start asking Democrats why they wanted to hang around Epstein after he was convicted.”
Democrats <a href="https://x.com/OversightDems/status/1999498082493280689">called</a> the photos &#8220;disturbing&#8221; and believe they &#8220;raise even more questions about Epstein and his relationships with some of the most powerful men in the world.&#8221;
&#8220;Time to end this White House cover-up. Release the files!&#8221; the Oversight Democrats added.
Other powerful men appeared in the photos from Epstein&#8217;s estate, including Bill Gates, who was pictured alongside Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the former prince whose royal title was stripped earlier this year after fallout over his close relationship with Epstein and allegations leveled against him by Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-1014233 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Bill-Gates-Prince-Andrew--436x576.jpeg" alt="" width="436" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Bill-Gates-Prince-Andrew--436x576.jpeg 436w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Bill-Gates-Prince-Andrew--227x300.jpeg 227w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Bill-Gates-Prince-Andrew-.jpeg 640w" sizes=" (max-width: 436px) 100vw, 436px" /></div>
Former President Clinton was also seen in one of the newly released photos, where he was standing alongside Epstein and Epstein&#8217;s co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell. Clinton was close to Epstein for years, and rode in the sex offender&#8217;s infamous private jet on multiple occasions. The former president has not been accused of any wrongdoing related to Epstein&#8217;s crimes.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-1014255 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Clinton-Epstein-725x576.jpeg" alt="" width="725" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Clinton-Epstein-725x576.jpeg 725w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Clinton-Epstein-300x238.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Clinton-Epstein-768x610.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Clinton-Epstein.jpeg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 725px) 100vw, 725px" /></div>
Trump&#8217;s former adviser Steve Bannon showed up in three of the photos released on Friday, one of which included him talking to Epstein and another that showed him talking to Woody Allen. Bannon was working on a documentary about Epstein up until Epstein&#8217;s arrest on federal sex trafficking charges. On the day Epstein was arrested, Bannon was <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/bannon-epstein-doc-wolff-1236433536/">messaging</a> the financier about potentially filming on Epstein&#8217;s notorious Little St. James island. Bannon also has never been accused of any wrongdoing related to Epstein&#8217;s crimes.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-1014267 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Bannon-Epstein-725x576.jpeg" alt="" width="725" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Bannon-Epstein-725x576.jpeg 725w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Bannon-Epstein-300x238.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Bannon-Epstein-768x610.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Bannon-Epstein.jpeg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 725px) 100vw, 725px" /></div>

Epstein Photos

Democrats Release Batch Of Epstein Photos Featuring Trump, Clinton, And Bill Gates

Bill Gates

Democrats

Steve Bannon

Woody Allen

Menu