The move could head off contempt votes as negotiations continue over format and timing.
WASHINGTON, DC — Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton agreed late Monday to testify in the House investigation of Jeffrey Epstein, according to representatives for the couple. The decision came as the Republican-led panel weighed contempt of Congress resolutions for their earlier noncompliance with subpoenas.
The agreement marks a sudden turn in a long-running partisan fight over how to examine Epstein’s network and federal actions surrounding his cases. House investigators led by James Comer say sworn testimony from both Clintons is necessary to complete the record. Clinton representatives argue the inquiry has been politicized but say the pair will cooperate. The House was preparing to consider contempt measures as soon as midweek, and leaders in both parties acknowledged that negotiations over the details were still underway late Monday.
In messages exchanged with committee staff, attorneys for the Clintons said the former president and the former secretary of state would sit for depositions on mutually agreeable dates at the Capitol. Earlier in the day, their lawyers had proposed a narrower plan: a four-hour transcribed interview for the former president and a sworn declaration from the former secretary. Comer rejected that offer and insisted on sworn depositions under the committee’s rules. “We’ve asked for the same process we use with every witness,” Comer said in brief remarks at the Capitol. A spokesperson for the Clintons, Angel Ureña, said the pair would appear and “set a standard that should apply to everyone,” while criticizing the threat of contempt as unnecessary brinkmanship.
The House Oversight Committee last month approved two contempt resolutions after the Clintons declined to appear by subpoena deadlines, sending the measures to the full House. The dispute intensified as leaders scheduled floor time for possible votes and as the House Rules panel weighed when and how to advance the measures. On Monday evening, after the Clintons’ acceptance of depositions, senior Republicans said they were reviewing next steps. Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters legal teams were “working through logistics.” Democrats objected to the subpoenas as overbroad but some backed the contempt push, arguing that high-profile figures should not set a precedent of ignoring congressional demands. No criminal charges have been alleged against either Clinton in connection with Epstein’s crimes, and both have previously denied knowledge of his conduct.
Bill Clinton has acknowledged traveling on Epstein’s plane in the early 2000s for foundation-related trips and has said he cut ties long before Epstein’s 2008 Florida plea and his 2019 federal arrest in New York. The current House inquiry seeks to map contacts and decision-making inside federal agencies during those years, as well as under later administrations. Recent Justice Department records releases and witness interviews have fueled fresh scrutiny of how prosecutors handled related investigations and what, if any, influence was exerted by powerful acquaintances. Committee members have requested calendars, correspondence and travel records from multiple agencies, including the Justice Department and State Department, and are preparing additional requests tied to the upcoming depositions.
The procedural stakes are significant. A criminal contempt referral, if passed by the House, would go to the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, who could seek fines or jail time. Such prosecutions are rare and typically hinge on whether negotiations broke down in good faith. By accepting depositions, the Clintons improved the chances that the House will delay or withdraw contempt votes, but Comer has not ruled out moving forward until a final written agreement is signed. Floor action could still be scheduled as soon as Wednesday, Feb. 4, depending on how quickly the parties settle the scope of questioning, document production and scheduling. Committee lawyers are also discussing whether the depositions will be videotaped and how transcripts would be released.
Negotiators are focused on standard interview protocols: who may attend, how long each round of questioning will last, and whether staff counsels will alternate by majority and minority. Republicans want the former president and the former secretary on separate days for at least one full session each. Democrats are pressing for simultaneous access to records cited by the majority and for the minority to have equal questioning time. Veteran investigators said those terms mirror arrangements used in other high-profile inquiries, including interviews with former cabinet secretaries and White House aides in recent years.
The public interest in Epstein-related matters has remained high since his death in federal custody in 2019. Civil cases involving his estate have generated document releases that periodically rekindle attention on prominent names cited in logs, calendars or correspondence. The House inquiry—now centered on sworn depositions—aims to separate verifiable contacts from unproven claims. Outside Congress, federal and state authorities have said they continue to field requests for records. None of those developments has changed the core fact that Epstein’s criminal enterprise revolved around his own actions and accomplices; the committee’s work is to test whether any institutional failures or outside influence shaped the government’s response.
On Monday night, the mood around the Capitol was restrained. Members filtered out of evening meetings while staff relayed updates to leadership offices. “There’s no reason we can’t get the testimony and move on,” said Rep. Jamie Raskin, the panel’s top Democrat, who nonetheless criticized the majority’s handling of negotiations. A Republican on the committee, Rep. Nancy Mace, said she supported pushing for depositions but would “prefer cooperation over showdowns.” Outside the hearing rooms, a few visitors snapped photos of the empty committee dais while cameras waited for any late announcements. Staffers boxed up binders marked with agency acronyms and wheeled them down the corridor as the building quieted.
As of late Monday, both sides described the talks as “productive.” The Clintons’ legal team said they had accepted the committee’s conditions to appear for depositions and were working toward dates. Comer and his staff said they welcomed the shift but wanted a formal letter locking in the terms before taking any floor action off the calendar. If the agreement holds, the depositions could occur this month, followed by public release of transcripts and a staff report summarizing findings. If it falters, the House could proceed with contempt votes, setting up a referral to federal prosecutors and another legal test of Congress’ subpoena power.
Author note: Last updated February 2, 2026.