Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has accused President Donald Trump’s administration of engaging in a “cover-up” tied to government records concerning the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Speaking to the BBC in Berlin during the annual World Forum, Clinton urged transparency from federal officials. “Get the files out. They are slow-walking it,” she said, “They are redacting the names of men who are in it; they are stonewalling legitimate requests from members of Congress.”
“A law was passed in Congress to require that all the files that have anything to do with them [Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell] be released. What we’re seeing, I think it’s fair to say, is a continuing cover-up by the Trump Administration.”
The White House rejected the accusation, arguing the administration’s actions have exceeded those of previous Democratic leadership. In a statement, officials said that by releasing documents, the Trump administration had done “more for the victims than Democrats ever have.”
Earlier this month, the US Department of Justice released millions of pages connected to Epstein-related investigations. However, officials said that roughly three million additional pages remain undisclosed, citing the presence of personal medical information, graphic depictions of child abuse, and other sensitive material that could compromise ongoing inquiries.
Clinton also addressed questions surrounding testimony before Congress. Asked whether Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor should appear before a congressional committee, she responded: “I think everybody should testify who is asked to testify.”
Andrew has consistently denied any misconduct. The committee lacks authority to compel his appearance, though pressure has mounted from US officials and the family of Virginia Giuffre, a prominent accuser. Andrew previously reached an out-of-court settlement with Giuffre in 2022 without admitting liability. Giuffre died by suicide in 2025.
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Congressional scrutiny has also focused on the Clintons. After initially declining to testify, the couple agreed last month to appear before the committee, leading lawmakers to shelve a planned contempt vote. Bill Clinton is scheduled to testify on Feb. 27, with Hillary Clinton set to appear the preceding day. The session will mark the first time a former US president has testified before a congressional panel since Gerald Ford in 1983.
In her comments, Hillary Clinton reiterated her preference for public proceedings rather than closed-door depositions.
“We will show up, but we think it would be better to have it in public. I just want it to be fair. I want everybody treated the same way. We have nothing to hide. We have called for the full release of these files repeatedly. We think sunlight is the best disinfectant.”
Republican committee chair James Comer previously accused the Clintons of “delay,” stating they “caved” as a contempt vote approached.
Clinton further argued that renewed attention on her and her husband was politically motivated. “Look at this shiny object. We’re going to have the Clintons, even Hillary Clinton, who never met the guy,” she said.
Clinton also criticized Attorney General Pam Bondi’s testimony at the House Judiciary Committee hearing last week, calling it “quite a scene” and stating that Bondi “refused to answer questions, diverted attention away from the matter at hand, and refused to look at the survivors.”
“There’s something about this administration’s attitude towards this, which I think leads us to conclude they have something to hide. We don’t. We’ve been willing to say whatever we know.”
She acknowledged having encountered Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell “on a few occasions.” Bill Clinton, whose name appears in the files, has said he ended contact with Epstein two decades ago. Neither Clinton has been accused of wrongdoing by survivors, and both say they were unaware of Epstein’s abuse at the time.
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“They’re accused, and in both cases, were convicted of horrific crimes against girls and women. That should be the focus. We are more than happy to say what we know, which is very limited and totally unrelated to their behavior or their crimes. And we want to do it in public. Let’s make this transparent.”
Epstein died by suicide in a New York jail cell on Aug.10, 2019, while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges without the possibility of bail. More than a decade earlier, he had been convicted of soliciting prostitution from a minor and was required to register as a sex offender.
Trump is also referenced in the Epstein files, but has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and says he severed ties with Epstein decades ago.
“President Trump is mentioned, some say, a million times in the files; that is what it says on the internet, over and over again. So, let’s find out what the truth is.”
Responding to Clinton’s comments, Trump told the BBC aboard Air Force One: “I’ve been exonerated.
“I had nothing to do with Jeffrey Epstein. They went in hoping that they’d find it, and they found just the opposite. They’re getting pulled in. And that’s their problem. Clinton and many other Democrats have been pulled in.”
The Justice Department has previously also addressed allegations involving Trump.
“Some docs contain untrue and sensationalist claims against Trump that were submitted to the FBI right before the 2020 election. To be clear, the claims are unfounded and false, and if they have any shred of credibility, they certainly would have been weaponized against Trump already.”
Moumita Basuroychowdhury is a Contributing Reporter at The National Digest. After earning an economics degree at Cornell University, she moved to NYC to pursue her MFA in creative writing. She enjoys reporting on science, business and culture news. You can reach her at moumita.b@thenationaldigest.com.
