Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are scheduled to appear before the House Oversight Committee as part of an investigation into the influence and criminal network run by the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Both depositions are scheduled to take place in Chappaqua, New York, where the Clintons live.
Here’s what you need to know:
What is a Congressional Deposition and How Does It Work?
This was sworn testimony given out of court as part of a parliamentary investigation.
Witnesses, in this case the Clintons, testify under oath behind closed doors and answer questions from committee lawyers and investigators.
Because sessions will be recorded and transcribed, knowingly making false statements may result in legal liability.
In the case of the Clintons, they initially resisted testifying, claiming the investigation was politically motivated.
They ultimately agreed to appear in court after the House indicated it was willing to move forward with a bipartisan vote to hold them in contempt, a step that could lead to criminal charges.
“No one is accusing the Clintons of wrongdoing,” said House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer. “I have so many questions.”
When will the deposition take place and how did we get here?
The deposition will not be held at the Capitol but near the Clintons’ home in Chappaqua.
Hillary is scheduled to testify on Thursday, February 26th, and Bill Clinton on Friday, February 27th.
Both depositions will be conducted behind closed doors, transcribed and filmed.
Congressional depositions are typically scheduled during normal business hours, often beginning between 9:00 and 10:00 a.m. local time (14:00-15:00 GMT), but the committee does not publish the times. Previous summonses ordered them to appear at 10am (3pm GMT).
The testimony agreement came after months of tense exchanges between the Clintons and Rep. James Comer, the Republican chairman of the House Oversight Committee.
Former President Bill Clinton’s deposition was originally requested for October 2025, then moved to December. He refused to appear because of the funeral. The additional subpoena set a new date for January 13, 2026, but he did not appear.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s deposition was originally scheduled for October 9, 2025, but was later moved to December 18. A subsequent summons set a new date for January 14, 2026, but she also failed to appear in court.
The Clintons have argued that the subpoenas are legally invalid and accused Comer of targeting them as part of a broader campaign of political retribution in coordination with former President Donald Trump.
But earlier this month, the Clintons not only agreed to the deposition, but insisted it should be held in public. This, they argued, would show a national audience that they had nothing to hide and minimize the politicization of testimony by House Republicans.
The deposition came nearly 30 years after then-President Bill Clinton gave a six-hour videotaped deposition in the Paula Jones sexual harassment case, in which Clinton made unwanted sexual advances toward her in 1991 while he was governor.
During her 1998 deposition, Clinton was questioned not only about Jones’ allegations but also about her relationship with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.
He denied having a sexual relationship with Lewinsky, a statement that later led to perjury charges and ultimately to his impeachment by the House of Representatives.
What is the House Oversight Committee investigating?
In this case, the House Oversight Committee is investigating issues related to the late convicted criminal Jeffrey Epstein and his network of associates.
Epstein was an American financier and convicted sex offender who used his vast wealth and high-profile social connections to organize a decade-long sex trafficking ring involving dozens of underage girls.
In 2019, federal prosecutors indicted Epstein on sex trafficking charges, alleging he ran a scheme to recruit underage girls and abuse them in his homes. He died in August 2019 while awaiting trial in a Manhattan jail. Authorities ruled his death a suicide.
There is no evidence that either Bill or Hillary Clinton committed any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein. But scrutiny increased after Bill Clinton’s name appeared on a large portion of unsealed Epstein-related court documents released in early 2024.
In late 2025 and early 2026, additional records were released under federal transparency measures, renewed public attention, generated new political pressure, and set the stage for the current Congressional investigation.
The House Oversight Committee said it is conducting a multifaceted investigation that primarily focuses on the activities of Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
Specifically, the committee is investigating the following areas:
The federal investigation into Epstein was bungled, and the allegations against Ghislaine Maxwell, a British socialite and longtime associate of Epstein’s who are currently in prison and awaiting trial. The circumstances of Mr. Epstein’s death in federal custody and the subsequent investigation. Operating a sex trafficking ring. The federal government is focused on finding ways to effectively combat them. How Epstein and Maxwell sought to garner favor and influence in order to shield their illegal activities from scrutiny. Potential violations of the Code of Ethics relating to current and former election officials.
Committee leaders say the information gathered could inform potential legal reforms, including stricter anti-sex trafficking measures, stricter ethical standards for public officials and changes to the use of non-prosecution and plea bargaining in sex crime cases.
What are Bill Clinton’s known connections to Jeffrey Epstein?
Bill Clinton admitted to knowing Epstein in the early 2000s.
Flight records and court documents show that Ms. Clinton flew on Mr. Epstein’s private plane multiple times.
He appeared in flight logs at least 16 times between 2002 and 2003, according to a CNN analysis.
The former president said the visit was related to the work of the Clinton Foundation.
He said he met Epstein through a mutual friend and claimed that their interactions were limited to these trips and related meetings.
In a 2019 statement after Epstein’s arrest, Clinton said she was unaware of Epstein’s criminal activities at the time and had not spoken to him in the years before his arrest.
Court documents unsealed in 2024 mentioned Clinton but made no allegation of criminal wrongdoing. Additional records released since then included photos of Clinton, Epstein and Maxwell, as well as a pool at one of Epstein’s homes.
Is Hillary Clinton allegedly having direct ties to Epstein?
There is no public evidence that Hillary Clinton had any direct ties to Epstein or was involved in his activities.
Her name appeared more than 700 times in Epstein’s files, most of them in news articles about the 2016 presidential campaign that were shared with Epstein, USA Today reported.
She claims she never met Epstein.
She has also been questioned about her relationship with Maxwell, primarily in the context of large-scale events such as the Clinton Global Initiative.
In an interview with the BBC on February 17, Ms Clinton said she had met Mr Maxwell “a few times”.
Maxwell also reportedly attended Chelsea Clinton’s wedding in 2010.
