Hillary Clinton Accuses Trump Administration of ‘Cover-Up’ Over Epstein Files in BBC Interview

“Get the files out. They are slow-walking it,” she told the BBC.

The White House rejected the allegation, insisting that by releasing the files it has done “more for the victims than Democrats ever have.”

Earlier this month, the US Department of Justice (DoJ) released millions of new files related to Epstein. However, the deputy attorney general said around three million pages were withheld due to the presence of personal medical records, graphic depictions of child abuse, and material that could jeopardise ongoing investigations.

Asked whether Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor should testify before a congressional committee, Clinton said, “I think everybody should testify who is asked to testify.” She stressed that appearing in the files does not indicate wrongdoing, and Andrew has consistently denied any wrongdoing. The committee does not have the power to compel him to appear.

The Clintons, who had initially resisted appearing before Congress, agreed last month to testify after lawmakers moved towards a contempt vote. Bill Clinton is scheduled to appear on 27 February, with Hillary Clinton set to testify the day before. The planned contempt vote was shelved following their agreement. It will mark the first time a former US president has testified before a congressional panel since Gerald Ford did so in 1983.

Hillary Clinton reiterated that the hearings should be held in public rather than behind closed doors. “We will show up, but we think it would be better to have it in public,” she said. Republican committee chair James Comer accused the Clintons of delay, saying they “caved” as a contempt vote loomed. Clinton responded, “I just want it to be fair. I want everybody treated the same way.”

“We have nothing to hide. We have called for the full release of these files repeatedly. We think sunlight is the best disinfectant,” she added.

Clinton argued that she and her husband were being used to divert attention from Donald Trump. “Look at this shiny object. We’re going to have the Clintons, even Hillary Clinton, who never met the guy,” she said. Clinton acknowledged that she had met Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s convicted associate, “on a few occasions.” Bill Clinton, who appears in the Epstein files, has said he was acquainted with Epstein but cut off contact two decades ago. Neither Clinton has been accused of wrongdoing by survivors, and both have denied any knowledge of Epstein’s crimes at the time.

The files were released after Congress passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act, requiring the DoJ to disclose material linked to investigations into Epstein. While the DoJ says it has now released all required documents, lawmakers argue the disclosure is insufficient. Kentucky Republican Representative Thomas Massie, who co-wrote the law, called for the release of internal DoJ memos explaining past decisions on whether to charge Epstein and his associates.

Epstein died in a New York prison cell on 10 August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. His death came more than a decade after a conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor, for which he was registered as a sex offender.

Former prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor faces renewed pressure from some US officials and from the family of Virginia Giuffre to testify before the House Oversight Committee about his links to Epstein. Andrew has repeatedly denied wrongdoing and reached an out-of-court settlement with Giuffre in 2022 with no admission of liability. Giuffre died by suicide in 2025.

Donald Trump, who is mentioned in the Epstein files, has consistently denied any wrongdoing and says he severed contact with Epstein decades ago. Responding to Clinton’s comments, Trump told the BBC he had nothing to hide. Speaking aboard Air Force One, he said: “I’ve been exonerated. I had nothing to do with Jeffrey Epstein. They went in hoping they’d find something, and they found the opposite.”

In response to allegations involving Trump, the DoJ has previously stated that some documents contained untrue and sensational claims submitted to the FBI shortly before the 2020 election. The department said the claims were unfounded and false, adding that if they had any credibility, they would have already been used against Trump.

The White House said that by releasing thousands of pages of documents, cooperating with House Oversight Committee subpoenas, and calling for further investigations into Epstein’s associates, the Trump administration has done more for victims than any previous efforts by Democrats.

News Report (Source: BBC):