Bill and Hillary Clinton just agreed to testify before the House Oversight Committee about convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. But this move has opened a massive, unwelcome door for Republicans who started the action. The Clintons faced the serious threat of being held in contempt of Congress after they initially refused to comply with a subpoena regarding the committee’s Epstein investigation. Seeing the writing on the wall, the former first couple agreed to appear.
This whole situation is a massive political headache. According to NBC News, Democrats are now openly saying that Republicans have set a crystal-clear precedent. They believe Congress can now subpoena and force past presidents, first ladies, and family members to testify under the threat of criminal charges if they refuse.
The Clintons are set to appear before the committee on February 26 and February 27 for filmed, transcribed depositions, according to Chairman Comer. While their attorney would prefer a public appearance, the two sides are currently in a standoff over the exact format of the interview.
Republicans may have just handed Democrats a powerful weapon they’ll use without hesitation
The Democratic response was immediate and pointed. Rep. Ted Lieu, a member of Democratic leadership, stated plainly that when Democrats take back power, “We are absolutely going to have Donald Trump testify under oath.” Other lawmakers quickly agreed with that plan, confirming that they will “100%” take advantage of the standard the GOP has set.
Rep. Maxwell Frost, who serves on the Oversight panel, warned that the new precedent covers everyone, saying, “Donald Trump, all of his kids. Everybody.” Rep. Mark Pocan echoed the sentiment, giving a stark warning to his colleagues across the aisle.
“This will make Donald Trump happy in the short term, but in the long term, a year from now, we have subpoena power,” he added. “What goes around comes around.” President Trump has recently been dealing with other controversies, including claims about Prettis stock decline following a viral video incident.
Rep. Jared Moskowitz, a member of the Oversight Committee, detailed exactly what the new Democratic chairmen will pursue when they take control of the House and its powerful committees. Moskowitz said that the new chairmen will run with the precedent everywhere.
“It will be crypto. It will be their business. It will be all the investments in the Middle East. It’ll be the Qatari plane? It’s going to be the latest thing with the UAE. It’s going to be all of it,” he stated. For context, both President Trump and former President Clinton were friendly with Epstein and appeared in photos with him during the 1990s and early 2000s, before his conviction.
Both men have denied any wrongdoing and have said they cut off their relationships with Epstein before he was charged. Meanwhile, the administration has also been focused on foreign policy matters, with Trump’s statements on South Korea’s deal making headlines.
Some Democrats don’t even want to wait for a change in power. Rep. Ro Khanna, who helped force the release of the Justice Department’s Epstein files, thinks President Trump should testify now about his interactions with Epstein.
“The precedent it sets is that Donald Trump better be showing up before Oversight on the Epstein matter,” Khanna stressed. “I hope Comer will pursue that with the same zeal he’s pursued the Clintons.” When asked about the political fallout, the White House completely brushed aside the Democrats’ warnings. White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said President Trump “is working night and day to deliver results for the American people.”
Published: Feb 4, 2026 02:15 pm