Clintons agree to testify in Epstein probe as Congress backs down from contempt threat

Former US President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton, the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee, have agreed to testify in a congressional investigation into the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a move that appears to defuse an escalating standoff with Republicans in the House of Representatives.

A spokesperson for the former president confirmed the decision on Monday, just as a Republican-led committee was preparing to push for a vote that could have held the Clintons in contempt of Congress for refusing to appear in person. Such a move could have opened the door to criminal charges, raising the political temperature around an already explosive investigation.

“The former President and former ‌Secretary of State will be there. They look forward to setting a precedent that applies to everyone,” the Clintons’ deputy chief of staff, Angel Urena, said in a social media post.

Urena paired his announcement with a statement from the House Oversight Committee, which earlier accused the Clintons of “defying lawful subpoenas” and of “trying to dodge contempt by requesting special treatment”.

“The Clintons are not above the law,” the committee said.

Just days earlier, the committee had formally recommended that Bill and Hillary Clinton be held in contempt for declining to testify in person about their past association with Epstein. The couple had said they were willing to cooperate with the investigation, but objected to what they described as a partisan spectacle designed to shield President Donald Trump, a longtime Epstein associate, from scrutiny.

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson welcomed the Clintons’ decision, though he stopped short of saying whether the threatened contempt vote would now be dropped.

“That’s a good development,” he said. “We expect everyone to comply with Congress’s subpoenas.”

Democrats, however, argue the probe itself has been weaponised, pointing out that Trump has not been called to testify despite well-documented links to Epstein. The president had spent months resisting the release of Epstein-related investigative files, only ordering their disclosure after sustained pressure from his MAGA base and fellow Republicans.

Bill Clinton’s ties to Epstein date back to the early 2000s, when he flew several times on Epstein’s private plane after leaving the White House. Clinton has said he regrets the relationship and maintains he was unaware of Epstein’s criminal activity. Hillary Clinton has said she had no meaningful contact with Epstein, never flew on his plane and never visited his private island.

The case continues to ripple far beyond Washington. Epstein’s sprawling network has ensnared prominent figures in politics, business and royalty, including Britain’s disgraced former prince Andrew and former UK ambassador to the US Peter Mandelson.

UK police said on Monday they are reviewing reports of alleged misconduct involving Mandelson, whose name appears thousands of times in the US Justice Department’s Epstein files. Mandelson was dismissed as ambassador last year after emails emerged showing him calling Epstein “my best pal” and advising him on seeking early release from prison. He has apologised to Epstein’s victims and denied any wrongdoing.