Hillary Clinton accuses Trump Administration of "cover-up" of Epstein Files
- Post By Emmie
- February 17, 2026
Hillary Clinton has accused Donald Trump’s administration of a “cover-up” over how it is handling the release of documents tied to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Speaking to the BBC during an interview, Clinton urged the White House to speed up the process. “Get the files out. They are slow-walking it,” she said. She has also pushed for full transparency around the files, saying, “We have nothing to hide. We have called for the full release of these files repeatedly. We think sunlight is the best disinfectant.”
The US Department of Justice has already released more than three million pages related to the Epstein investigation under a law passed by Congress. However, some of the files have still been withheld, including medical records, graphic content and documents that officials say could interfere with ongoing investigations if they are released. Lawmakers from both parties argue that the current release does not go far enough.
The White House defended its handling of the documents, saying it had released thousands of pages and cooperated with congressional requests. A spokesperson said the administration had done “more for the victims than Democrats ever have.”
Clinton and her husband, former president Bill Clinton, are scheduled to testify before the House Oversight Committee on 26th and 27th February after the threat of a contempt of Congress vote if they refused to do so. It will be the first time that a former US president has testified before a congressional panel since Gerald Ford did so in 1983.
Clinton has called for the hearings to be open rather than behind closed doors. “We will show up but we think it would be better to have it in public,” she said, adding, “I just want it to be fair. I want everybody treated the same way.”
When asked whether Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor should testify, she said: “I think everybody should testify who is asked to testify.” The committee does not have the authority to force him to appear. Andrew has denied any wrongdoing and previously reached an out-of-court settlement with Virginia Giuffre without admitting liability.
Clinton also addressed her own connections to Epstein, saying that she had met Epstein’s associate Ghislaine Maxwell “on a few occasions” but had never met Epstein himself. Bill Clinton, whose name appears in the released files, has said that he ended contact with Epstein two decades ago and was unaware of his crimes at the time.
Clinton claims that she and her husband are being used as political distractions from the bigger people who are named in the files such as current President Donald Trump. “Look at this shiny object. We're going to have the Clintons, even Hillary Clinton, who never met the guy,” she said.
President Trump, who is also mentioned in the documents and has denied any misconduct, dismissed Clinton’s claims. “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,” he said. He added: “They're getting pulled in. And that's their problem... Clinton and many other Democrats have been pulled in.” He also accused Clinton of having “Trump derangement syndrome.”
The controversy has already had consequences beyond Washington. Some high-profile figures named in the files have faced scrutiny, with business leaders stepping down or distancing themselves from past associations. Officials continue to stress that inclusion in the files does not immediately mean that the individual has committed any criminal acts.
Epstein died in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. The political battle over the documents tied to his case shows no sign of slowing as testimony begins next week.