Clintons agree to testify in House Epstein inquiry

Bill and Hillary Clinton have agreed to give sworn depositions in the US House Oversight Committee’s investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. The move, announced late on Monday 2 February 2026, came as the House prepared for a possible contempt vote; terms are still being finalised, according to AP and the Washington Post. If Bill Clinton’s testimony proceeds, it would mark the first time a former US president has testified to Congress since Gerald Ford in 1983, the Senate Historical Office records show. (apnews.com)

Let’s get clear on the process you’re about to watch. A congressional deposition is a formal, under‑oath interview held behind closed doors, transcribed by an official reporter, and run by committee members or counsel with equal time for both parties. Witnesses may bring a lawyer. Transcripts can be released later by the committee. These are standard House rules and are summarised by the non‑partisan Congressional Research Service (CRS). (congress.gov)

How did we get here? The Oversight Committee issued subpoenas to both Clintons in August 2025 and, after they did not appear on rescheduled dates in January 2026, advanced contempt recommendations on a bipartisan vote. Republicans lead the panel, but several Democrats backed moving the contempt reports forward, AP and committee records note. (oversight.house.gov)

On Monday, committee chair James Comer rejected an earlier proposal for a limited four‑hour interview with Bill Clinton and a written declaration from Hillary Clinton, saying both must sit for depositions. Hours later, Clinton aide Angel Ureña posted on X that the pair would appear, arguing they had negotiated in good faith; the Rules Committee then paused consideration of the contempt resolutions while terms were clarified, Reuters, NBC News and the Washington Post reported. (apnews.com)

You’ll see the term “contempt of Congress” a lot this week. Congress has three main enforcement routes when someone defies a subpoena: a criminal referral to the Justice Department, a civil lawsuit to compel compliance, or the rarely used “inherent” contempt where the chamber polices its own order. Criminal contempt can carry fines and up to a year in jail, but prosecution is not automatic. CRS outlines these options in detail. (congress.gov)

The Rules Committee, chaired by Virginia Foxx, signalled it could reconvene if there wasn’t “substantial compliance” with the agreement overnight. That’s your clue that the pause is tactical, not necessarily permanent, as local AP syndication (Gray DC) reported from inside the meeting room. (fox19.com)

What the Clintons say matters for context. Bill Clinton has long denied any knowledge of Epstein’s crimes and says he ended contact years before Epstein’s 2019 arrest. In a 2019 statement, his office acknowledged trips on Epstein’s aircraft in 2002–03 for foundation work and said he has never visited Epstein’s island; those details are echoed by CNN and FactCheck.org. Neither Clinton has been accused of criminal wrongdoing by survivors, AP notes. (amp.cnn.com)

You may also see newly released photographs from government files. Media outlets reported images of Bill Clinton in poolside or hot‑tub settings among the materials published under the Epstein Files Transparency Act; inclusion of a name or image is not, on its own, evidence of a crime, as AP coverage has stressed. Treat pictures as starting points for questions, not conclusions. (theguardian.com)

Why is a former president’s testimony rare? Congress often defers to ex‑presidents; none has been forced to testify, though a few have appeared voluntarily. Gerald Ford’s 1983 appearance before a Senate panel is the most recent example on record, according to the Senate Historical Office and AP backgrounders. (senate.gov)

What happens next? Watch for the committee to lock dates, confirm the scope of questioning and decide if transcripts will be released. Also watch whether the House leadership re‑lists the contempt resolutions if talks stall. The Washington Post and AP both say the agreement paused, but did not end, the threat of contempt. (washingtonpost.com)

If you’re studying this with a class, use it to practise source‑checking. Compare how AP, NBC News and a committee press release each frame the same step in the negotiation. Notice the verbs-“subpoena”, “deposition”, “postponed”-and ask what each legally commits someone to do. Then check original documents where possible before forming a view. (apnews.com)

Quick glossary for your notes: a subpoena is a legal order to provide testimony or documents; a deposition is a private, transcribed, under‑oath interview; contempt of Congress is how lawmakers try to enforce those orders-sometimes via DOJ, sometimes through the courts. CRS is a reliable place to verify each step. (congress.gov)