Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said her closed-door deposition before the House Oversight Committee regarding Jeffrey Epstein took what she described as a “quite unusual” turn, as lawmakers questioned her not only about the convicted sex offender but also about conspiracy theories, including the right-wing theory known as “Pizzagate.”
Clinton appeared before the committee to address alleged ties to Epstein. In her opening statement, she forcefully denied any connection to him, saying she did not recall “ever encountering” Epstein and criticizing Republicans on the panel for what she characterized as mishandling the case.
After the deposition concluded, Clinton spoke to reporters and reiterated her denial.
“I answered every one of their questions as fully as I could, based on what I knew,” she said. “And what I knew is what I said in my statement this morning. I never met Jeffrey Epstein, never had any connection or communication with him.”
Clinton also expressed frustration that the hearing was conducted behind closed doors rather than in public view. She said she had pushed for journalists to be allowed inside, arguing that greater transparency would have allowed the public to judge the proceedings firsthand.
“It was disappointing that they refused to hold a public hearing, so I wouldn’t have to be out here characterizing it for you,” Clinton said. “You could have seen it for yourself.”
She pointed to an early dispute during the hearing, referencing a moment when Rep. Lauren Boebert shared a photo from the proceedings with MAGA influencer Benny Johnson. Clinton described the incident as “very upsetting,” suggesting it violated agreed-upon rules for a closed session.
“We had a bit of a challenge in the beginning, because we had agreed upon rules based on the fact it was going to be a closed hearing at their demand, and one of the members violated that rule,” she said. “Which was very upsetting because it suggested that they might violate other of our agreements.”
According to Clinton, the questioning later veered away from Epstein himself and into broader conspiracy territory.
“It then got, at the end, quite unusual because I started being asked about UFOs and a series of questions about Pizzagate,” she said, referring to the debunked conspiracy theory that circulated online. She described Pizzagate as “one of the most vile bogus conspiracy theories that was propagated on the internet,” and said it served as the basis for some of the questions posed to her.
The deposition was part of ongoing congressional scrutiny surrounding Epstein and his network of associates. Clinton has consistently denied any connection to the late financier and said she answered the committee’s questions to the best of her knowledge.
While Republicans on the committee have pressed for answers related to Epstein’s high-profile contacts, Clinton’s comments suggest the hearing also delved into broader allegations and internet-driven claims. For her part, she maintained that she had no involvement with Epstein and characterized parts of the questioning as straying into sensational or unfounded territory.
The closed-door session and its aftermath underscore the continued political and public attention surrounding Epstein’s case — and the intense scrutiny facing prominent figures who are called to testify about it.
