Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton issued a pointed rebuke of President Donald Trump on Monday, Feb. 16, 2026, alleging that his administration is engaged in a “cover-up” involving documents linked to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Her remarks came as she and her husband prepare for congressional testimony later this month.
“Get the files out. They are slow-walking it,” Clinton told the BBC in an interview recorded in Berlin. “They are redacting the names of men who are in it. They are stonewalling legitimate requests from members of Congress.”
Clinton cited a congressional law requiring the full disclosure of records related to Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell. “What we’re seeing, I think it’s fair to say, is an active cover-up by the Trump Administration,” she added.
Her strong comments come ahead of her closed-door testimony before the House Oversight Committee on Feb. 26. Former President Bill Clinton is expected to testify the following day. The couple had initially refused to appear, prompting the committee to vote on Jan. 21 to recommend holding them in contempt of Congress. They reversed their decision on Feb. 2, just before the House was set to advance contempt measures.
Neither Clinton has been accused of wrongdoing in connection to Epstein, who died by suicide in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking. In January, both Clintons submitted sworn statements detailing their limited contact with Epstein and Maxwell, who is serving a 20‑year sentence for conspiring with Epstein to sexually abuse minors.
Clinton also criticized Attorney General Pam Bondi, who testified before the House Judiciary Committee on Feb. 11 during a heated, hours-long session. Clinton called Bondi’s appearance “quite a scene,” alleging that she “refused to answer questions, diverted attention from the issue, and refused to look at the survivors.” Several Epstein survivors were present, and Democrats pressed Bondi to turn and apologize—something she did not do.
The Justice Department released more than three million documents, images, and videos tied to the Epstein investigation on Jan. 30, following passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Some lawmakers, however, argue that the release is still incomplete. Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, a co-sponsor of the law, has pushed for internal memos and prosecution decision notes to be disclosed as well.
Speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One on Monday night, President Trump dismissed Clinton’s claims. “I have nothing to hide, I have been exonerated, I have nothing to do with Jeffrey Epstein,” Trump said, adding of the Clintons: “They’re getting pulled in and that’s their problem.”
Clinton argued that she and her husband are being used as political distractions. She said officials want to pull them into the controversy to divert attention away from Trump, calling the tactic transparent.
The former secretary of state told the BBC she does not remember ever meeting Epstein, though she acknowledged seeing Maxwell “on a few occasions” through events connected to the Clinton Global Initiative. Bill Clinton has stated that Epstein offered his private jet for charity trips between 2002 and 2003, but that he cut ties more than two decades ago.
Asked whether former Prince Andrew should testify before Congress regarding his ties to Epstein, Clinton responded: “I think everybody should testify who is asked to testify. I just want it to be fair. I want everybody treated the same way.”
Andrew settled a civil lawsuit with the late Virginia Giuffre in February 2022 without admitting liability. Giuffre, one of Epstein’s most well-known accusers, died by suicide in April 2025 at age 41.
The Clintons have repeatedly pressed Congress to hold their testimony in a public setting instead of behind closed doors. “We will show up but we think it would be better to have it in public,” Clinton said. “We think sunlight is the best disinfectant.”
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer has indicated that open testimony may be possible once the private depositions are completed. If Bill Clinton testifies as planned, he would be the first former U.S. president to appear before a congressional committee since Gerald Ford testified in 1974 about his pardon of Richard Nixon.
Clinton cautioned that lawmakers may not “like what I have to say” during her testimony. “I have very strong opinions about what it is they’re hiding and who they are protecting,” she said, again accusing the Trump administration of redacting names in the released documents.