Executive Insights
- Bill and Hillary Clinton have agreed to formal, transcribed depositions in late February 2026.
- The agreement averted an imminent House vote on holding the couple in contempt of Congress.
- The inquiry is driven by the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which mandates the release of unredacted DOJ files.
- Key focus areas include discrepancies in flight logs and alleged visits to Little St. James.
- Spokesperson Angel Ureña characterized the depositions as a move to ‘set a precedent’ for transparency.
On February 4, 2026, the political landscape in Washington reached a fever pitch as House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer confirmed that former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have agreed to sit for formal, transcribed depositions. This development marks the climax of a months-long standoff over subpoena compliance regarding the sex trafficking investigation into Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
The Breaking Point: Threat of Contempt
The agreement was struck mere hours before the House was scheduled to vote on holding the Clintons in contempt of Congress. For weeks, the Oversight Committee had signaled its readiness to escalate the inquiry, citing the Epstein Files Transparency Act—signed into law by President Trump in late 2025—as the legal bedrock for their demands.
Chairman Comer issued a statement emphasizing the gravity of the concession:
“Republicans and Democrats on the Oversight Committee have been clear: no one is above the law. Once it became clear that the House of Representatives would hold them in contempt, the Clintons completely caved and will appear for transcribed, filmed depositions this month.”
Angel Ureña, spokesperson for the Clintons, fired back on social media, framing the cooperation as a move to set a precedent rather than an admission of guilt. “They negotiated in good faith. You did not,” Ureña stated, adding that the Clintons look forward to correcting the record regarding their alleged ties to Little St. James and the nature of their interactions with Epstein.
The Epstein Files Transparency Act in Action
The Epstein Files Transparency Act, passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, mandated the unredacted release of millions of pages of documents held by the DOJ. While the Department of Justice initially released heavily redacted caches in late 2025, the new legislation forced a “completeness review” that has since exposed:
- Flight logs detailing previously undisclosed trips on Epstein’s private jet.
- Unredacted communications between Epstein’s associates and high-ranking government officials.
- Surveillance logs from properties in New York and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Despite these releases, lawmakers have expressed frustration with lingering Department of Justice redactions, arguing that the DOJ is still shielding “politically exposed persons” under the guise of victim privacy.
Scheduled Depositions and Key Lines of Inquiry
The depositions are scheduled for late February 2026. Investigators are expected to focus on several critical areas:
| Topic | Key Questions |
|---|---|
| Flight Logs & Travel | Discrepancies between official Secret Service records and Epstein’s private pilot logs regarding trips to Africa and the Caribbean. |
| Little St. James | Direct questions on whether either Clinton ever set foot on the island, a claim they have vehemently denied. |
| Ghislaine Maxwell Connection | The extent of the social and professional relationship with Maxwell post-2008, following Epstein’s first conviction. |
Implications for the 2026 Midterms
This inquiry has transcended legal boundaries to become a central theme of the 2026 political cycle. The visibility of a former President and Secretary of State facing House Oversight Committee grilling validates the GOP’s strategy of aggressive oversight. However, Democratic strategists argue that if the depositions yield no “smoking gun,” the aggressive tactics could backfire, painting the investigation as a partisan vendetta.
With Ghislaine Maxwell also scheduled for a deposition from federal prison, the converging testimonies could finally provide a definitive historical account of the systemic failures that allowed a sex trafficking ring to operate within the highest echelons of power.
In-Depth Q&A
Q: What is the Epstein Files Transparency Act?
Passed in late 2025, this legislation mandates the Department of Justice to release all unredacted files related to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, specifically targeting the identities of government officials and associates previously shielded by privacy redactions.
Q: Why did Bill and Hillary Clinton agree to depositions?
The Clintons agreed to transcribed depositions to avoid an imminent vote on holding them in contempt of Congress, which could have led to criminal referrals and significant legal penalties.
Q: When are the Clinton depositions scheduled?
Hillary Clinton is scheduled to be deposed on February 26, 2026, and former President Bill Clinton on February 27, 2026.
Q: What is the role of Angel Ureña in this investigation?
Angel Ureña is the spokesperson for Bill Clinton. He has publicly handled the negotiations with the Oversight Committee, criticizing Chairman Comer’s tactics while confirming the Clintons’ agreement to testify.
Q: What are the main contentions regarding DOJ redactions?
Lawmakers argue that despite the Transparency Act, the Department of Justice has continued to redact names and details under the guise of privacy, potentially protecting ‘politically exposed persons’ involved in the scandal.
