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Clinton’s opening statement: ‘I never flew on his plane or visited his island, homes or offices’
Hillary Clinton released her opening statement.
She said she submitted a sworn statement to the committee on 13 January that she had no idea of Jeffrey Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell’s criminal activities or the investigations into them.
“The Committee justified its subpoena to me based on its assumption that I have information regarding the investigations into the criminal activities of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Let me be as clear as I can. I do not,” she said. “I do not recall ever encountering Mr. Epstein. I never flew on his plane or visited his island, homes or offices. I have nothing to add to that.”
She said she, “like every decent person,” has been horrified to learn of their crimes. She said the committee’s investigation was supposed to be assessing the government’s handling of the investigations, but pointed out that eight law enforcement officials were subpoenaed, and most were allowed to submit statements that they had no information to provide. The proceedings lack transparency and are partisan, she said.
“This institutional failure is designed to protect one political party and one public official, rather than to seek truth and justice for the victims and survivors, as well as the public who also want to get to the bottom of this matter. My heart breaks for the survivors. And I am furious on their behalf,” she said.
Key events
Per the Associated Press, Robert Garcia of California, the top Democrat on the House oversight panel, also called on Donald Trump to testify in the investigation. He argued that Bill Clinton’s appearance tomorrow sets a precedent that should apply to Trump as well.
Let’s get President Trump in front of our committee to answer the questions that are being asked across this country from survivors.
Chair James Comer previously said that the committee can’t depose Trump because he is a sitting president.
Before Hillary Clinton’s testimony began, House oversight committee chair James Comer repeatedly said that the probe was not partisan in nature.
When asked whether the committee would bring in commerce secretary Howard Lutnick for questioning, Comer said it was “very possible” and that there was a “good possibility” that Lutnick’s name would arise during questioning today. Lutnick has been tied to Epstein and has admitted he had lunch with Epstein on his private island.
Comer noted that Republicans tied to the Trump administration have already been brought in for questioning, including former labor secretary Alex Acosta and former attorney general Bill Barr.
Anyone who has knowledge of Epstein and the investigation is of interest to the committee, he said.
I think we all agree the government failed. The government failed the victims, and what our role is, we can’t prosecute anymore, but what we have been doing is getting transparency to the American people. We’re seeing accountability, but we have a desire to see a lot more accountability. We want to get the answers, and hopefully the next two days will be a step in the right direction.
Comer said that it’s clear from all the Epstein documents that Ghislaine Maxwell was his main co-conspirator. The Clintons’ relationship with Maxwell, and Epstein’s financial giving to Clinton-related initiatives, will be part of the questioning, he said, including the fact that Maxwell attended Chelsea Clinton’s wedding.
“Again, that’s not saying anything illegal, but there are a lot of questions pertaining to Secretary Clinton,” he said.
Throughout her opening statement, Hillary Clinton detailed the work she has done to protect women and girls and against human trafficking over decades of her career, in multiple public roles.
Jeffrey Epstein was a “heinous individual” but he was “far from alone”. She then implored the committee to actually investigate without a partisan lens – including bringing in Donald Trump for questioning.
From her statement:
A committee endeavoring to stopping human trafficking would seek to understand what specific steps are needed to fix a system that allowed Epstein to get away with his crimes in 2008.
A committee run by elected officials with a commitment to transparency would ensure the full release of all the files.
It would ensure that the lawful redactions of those files protected the victims and survivors, not powerful men and political allies.
It would get to the bottom of reports that DOJ withheld FBI interviews in which a survivor accuses President Trump of heinous crimes.
It would subpoena anyone who asked on which night there would be the ‘wildest party’ on Epstein’s island.
It would demand testimony from prosecutors in Florida and New York about why they gave Epstein a sweetheart deal and chose not to pursue others who may have been implicated.
It would demand that Secretary Rubio and Attorney General Bondi testify about why this administration is abandoning survivors and playing into the hands of traffickers.
It would seek out officers on the front lines of this fight and ask them what support they need.
It would put forth legislation to provide more resources and force this administration to act.
But that’s not happening.
Instead, you have compelled me to testify, fully aware that I have no knowledge that would assist your investigation, in order to distract attention from President Trump’s actions and to cover them up despite legitimate calls for answers.
If this Committee is serious about learning the truth about Epstein’s trafficking crimes, it would not rely on press gaggles to get answers from our current president on his involvement; it would ask him directly under oath about the tens of thousands of times he shows up in the Epstein files.
If the majority was serious, it would not waste time on fishing expeditions. There is too much that needs to be done.
What is being held back? Who is being protected? And why the cover-up?
My challenge to you, Mr. Chairman, Members of the Committee, is the same challenge I put to myself throughout my long service to this nation. How to be worthy of the trust the American people have given you. They expect statesmanship, not gamesmanship. Leading, not grandstanding. They expect you to use your power to get to the truth and to do more to help survivors of Epstein’s crimes as well as the millions more who are victims of sex trafficking.
Clinton’s opening statement: ‘I never flew on his plane or visited his island, homes or offices’
Hillary Clinton released her opening statement.
She said she submitted a sworn statement to the committee on 13 January that she had no idea of Jeffrey Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell’s criminal activities or the investigations into them.
“The Committee justified its subpoena to me based on its assumption that I have information regarding the investigations into the criminal activities of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Let me be as clear as I can. I do not,” she said. “I do not recall ever encountering Mr. Epstein. I never flew on his plane or visited his island, homes or offices. I have nothing to add to that.”
She said she, “like every decent person,” has been horrified to learn of their crimes. She said the committee’s investigation was supposed to be assessing the government’s handling of the investigations, but pointed out that eight law enforcement officials were subpoenaed, and most were allowed to submit statements that they had no information to provide. The proceedings lack transparency and are partisan, she said.
“This institutional failure is designed to protect one political party and one public official, rather than to seek truth and justice for the victims and survivors, as well as the public who also want to get to the bottom of this matter. My heart breaks for the survivors. And I am furious on their behalf,” she said.
The justice department said it will look into whether any documents from the Epstein files were improperly withheld.
Several news organizations, including NPR and the New York Times, reported that records were withheld that include FBI interviews and notes regarding a woman who accused Trump of sexual abuse when she was a minor, decades ago.
Democrats on the House oversight committee said they would launch an investigation into these allegations to determine whether the justice department intentionally withheld the documents.
Hillary Clinton begins testifying, saying she has no information on Epstein’s criminal activities
Here’s what to expect from Hillary Clinton as she begins answering questions from the House oversight committee.
She testified that she doesn’t have any information on Epstein and does not recall ever meeting him, according to the opening statement she released on X.
And she also told the committee members they should ask Trump under oath about the Epstein files.
James Comer, the chair of the oversight committee, said the committee worked for six months to get the Clintons to come in and answer questions, and when they didn’t show up, they moved to hold the Clintons in contempt.
“I think one thing that surprised the Clintons: they assumed the Democrats on the committee would vote in a partisan manner and not vote to hold the Clintons in contempt, and what they learned was a majority of the Democrats on the committee either voted to hold the Clintons in contempt or voted present,” he said. “And I think that’s a statement that this investigation is serious. It is a bipartisan investigation.”
He said the Clintons “haven’t answered very many, if any, questions about their knowledge or involvement with Epstein and Maxwell”.
He stressed that no one is accusing the Clintons of wrongdoing and that they would have due process, but that all members of the committee would be asking them questions to try to understand more about Epstein, including how he accumulated his wealth and whether he was an asset for any government.
“The Democrats have just as many questions for the Clintons as the Republicans,” Comer said. “So this isn’t a partisan witch hunt. This was a motion, a bipartisan motion, supported by the Democrats, to bring the Clintons in. So I don’t think it’s any type of being unfair in any way to the Clintons.”
Hillary Clinton’s testimony is expected to last much of the day.
James Comer, the Republican who chairs the House oversight committee, said Hillary Clinton’s testimony would be a “long deposition” and that Bill Clinton’s, set for tomorrow, would likely be “even longer”.
The committee will release video and transcripts of the depositions after they are reviewed for any errors, he said.
Members of the oversight committee will be updating the public throughout the day, he said.
Hillary Clinton is expected to testify to the House Oversight Committee about Jeffrey Epstein soon this morning, but there will be no livestream of the proceedings.
They will happen behind closed doors but will be recorded.
We’re watching for any insights into what the hearing includes as it plays out.
The Clintons pushed for their testimony to be held publicly.
“I will not sit idly as they use me as a prop in a closed-door kangaroo court by a Republican Party running scared,” Bill Clinton said earlier this month. “If they want answers, let’s stop the games & do this the right way: in a public hearing, where the American people can see for themselves what this is really about.”
Cindy McCain to step down from role as executive director of UN World Food Programme
Cindy McCain announced today that she will step down from her role as executive director of the United Nations World Food Programme to focus on her health.
McCain, the widow of the late US senator John McCain, suffered a mild stroke last October and had returned to Italy to resume her work after that, but the demands of the job were affecting her recovery, the organization said. She started the role in April 2023. She will step down in three months.
McCain said in a statement that was stepping down with a “heavy heart”.
“I’ve seen firsthand WFP’s ability to save lives in the most dangerous, destitute, and remote locations of the world, where people need us the most,” she said. “Time and time again, I have seen the WFP team show up where no one else can, no matter the odds. I had truly hoped I could finish out my term, but my health has not recovered to a level that allows me to fully serve the enormous demands of this job. This is one of the most difficult decisions I have ever had to make.”
She said she would “remain WFP’s biggest champion and continue to be an unwavering voice for those struggling with hunger everywhere”.
Julius Constantine Motal
The scene in Chappaqua ahead of Hillary Clinton’s testimony:
The FBI raid of the Los Angeles unified school district and its superintendent’s home yesterday appears to be part of a probe of a company that developed an AI chatbot for the district, the LA Times is reporting.
The federal agency and school district didn’t provide further details on the raid, but the LA Times cites sources that show it involved AllHere, “a failed AI company whose founder was charged with fraud in 2024”.
Another site raided on Wednesday morning was a Florida address linked to a person who worked with the AI company, the LA Times said.
The school district said in a statement yesterday that it was “informed of law enforcement activity” at its headquarters and at superintendent Alberto Carvalho’s home.
“The district is cooperating with the investigation and we do not have further information at this time,” the district said then.
Chris Stein
Supercharged by billions in dollars from Congress, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has hired thousands of new officers to carry out Donald Trump’s mass deportation campaign in an effort it has likened to “wartime recruitment”. In several states, Democratic lawmakers want applicants to think twice about taking part.
Bills introduced in recent weeks in the legislatures of at least four Democratic-led states would impose long-term consequences on new ICE employees by rendering them ineligible for jobs in law enforcement, public education, and, in their most expansive form, the entire state civil service.
None of the proposals has been signed into law, and potential legislation may face legal challenges. The bills nonetheless underscore Democratic state lawmaker’s determination to undermine Trump’s hardline immigration policy, even as a similar effort in Congress that has resulted in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutting down faces uncertain prospects.
“If you’re an ICE agent, you’re signing up to engage in unlawful conduct. You’re signing up to engage in racially profiling Latino communities. You’re signing up to engage in illegal detentions and deportations of people who have legal rights in this country, you’re signing up for the separation of families and children,” Democratic New Jersey assemblyman Ravi Bhalla told the Guardian.
Earlier in February, he introduced legislation that would effectively bar from state and local government employment anyone who joined ICE between September 2025 and the expected final day of Trump’s term in 2029.
Most Americans share president Donald Trump’s view that immigrants living illegally in the US should be deported, but generally disapprove of his hard-line tactics, including masked agents in tactical gear who have clashed with US citizens, a new Reuters/Ipsos poll found.
The six-day poll, concluded on Monday, illustrates both the broad appeal of Trump’s focus on immigration enforcement and the widespread disapproval of his tactics that could weigh on his Republican party in 3 November congressional midterm elections.
Some 61% of respondents – including 92% of Republicans and 35% of Democrats – said they “support deporting unauthorized immigrants”.
Trump’s stand on the issue helped him win the 2024 presidential election as he accused Democratic politicians of favoring “open borders”.
Sixty-three percent of Democrats said they do not support deporting unauthorized immigrants, compared with 7% of Republicans.
Lauren Gambino
JD Vance announced on Wednesday that the Trump administration would “temporarily halt” more than a quarter-billion dollars in Medicaid reimbursements to the state of Minnesota, escalating Donald Trump’s newly announced “war on fraud”.
Vance said the action was to ensure Minnesota was “a good steward of the American people’s tax money”, part of its crackdown on the state following a fraud scandal linked to residents of the Somali community in Minneapolis, which prompted the administration to send thousands of federal immigration agents into Minneapolis and that resulted in the deaths of two US citizens and widespread protests.
“What we’re doing is we are stopping the federal payments that will go to the state government until the state government takes its obligations seriously to stop the fraud that’s being perpetrated against the American taxpayer,” the vice-president said at a press conference in Washington, where he was joined by Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid.
Oz said it was the first time the government had taken such an action against a state. “It’s unponderable that you would take advantage of these precious programs,” he said, adding that while Minnesota was first, other states would be next.
Oz also announced that the administration was imposing a six-month national moratorium on federal funding for people who need durable medical equipment, including prostheses and orthotics. New enrollments for federal funds for such devices would be halted due to concerns about benefit fraud, he said.
Medicaid, the nation’s healthcare safety net for low-income Americans, serves more than 70 million people, including children, pregnant women, older adults and people with disabilities. Minnesota’s Medicaid and MinnesotaCare programs provide healthcare coverage for nearly 1.3 million people in the state, or roughly one in four Minnesotans.
Kash Patel fires FBI officials linked to Trump documents case, reports say
Gabrielle Canon
At least 10 FBI employees connected to an investigation of Donald Trump have reportedly been dismissed following revelations that the agency subpoenaed personal records of current FBI director Kash Patel and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles in the years before Trump returned to office.
The ousters, reported by CBS News and CNN, were linked to the federal investigation led by former justice department special counsel Jack Smith into Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified documents that were found at his Florida Mar-a-Lago resort after his first term.
During the course of that investigation, Reuters reported on Wednesday, the FBI subpoenaed records of phone calls made by Patel and Wiles, who were both close to Trump but private citizens at the time.
The FBI has not yet responded to requests for comment from the Guardian. But in a statement to Reuters, Patel rebuked the agency he now heads and repeated claims that the actions are evidence of government overreach perpetuated by the Biden administration.
US and Iranian negotiators meet for crunch nuclear talks
Taz Ali
Iran and US negotiators will be meeting in the Swiss city of Geneva today for a third round of indirect nuclear talks. The Oman-mediated discussions will take place amid a massive buildup of US warships and aircraft in the Middle East to pressure Iran into a deal.
This is the third meeting between the US and Iran since June last year, when Israel launched attacks on Iran that sparked a war marked by tit-for-tat airstrikes.
Ahead of today’s talks, the Iranian president, Masoud Pezeshkian, said Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, has banned weapons of mass destruction, which “clearly means Tehran won’t develop nuclear weapons”. Khamenaei, who has the final say on all state matters in Iran, is thought to have issued a fatwa – or religious edict – banning the Iranian use of weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons, some time before or in 2005.
In his State of the Union speech on Tuesday, US president Donald Trump accused Iran of seeking to rebuild its nuclear weapons programme, but gave no clear indication of his intentions regarding a possible military strike against Tehran. He did, however, say he wanted to resolve tensions diplomatically.
Iran has maintained that it will continue to enrich uranium, a component of a nuclear weapon, for peaceful purposes and has long argued that uranium enrichment is a sovereign right. It has threatened to retaliate in kind if the US were to launch a strike, and said that it would also attack Israel.
You can follow our live blog on the talks here:
Rubio says US will ‘respond accordingly’ after Cuba kills four in speedboat shooting
US Secretary of state Marco Rubio has refused to speculate on what happened after Cuba said its soldiers killed four people and wounded six others aboard a Florida-registered speed boat that had entered Cuban waters and opened fire.
He said that it could be a “wide range of things,” and that the US will not solely rely on what the Cuban authorities have provided thus far.
“Suffice it to say, it is highly unusual to see shootouts in open sea like that. It’s not something that happens every day. It’s something, frankly, that hasn’t happened with Cuba in a very long time,” Rubio said.
Cuba’s government said that the 10 passengers on a boat that opened fire on its soldiers were armed Cubans living in the US who were trying to infiltrate the island and unleash terrorism.
“The majority of the facts being publicly reported are those by the information provided by the Cubans. We will verify that independently as we gather more information, and we’ll be prepared to respond accordingly,” Rubio said. “We’re going to have our own information on this. We’re going to figure out exactly what happened.”
He said it was not a US government operation and that he wasn’t “going to speculate about whose boat it was, what they were doing, why they were there, what actually happened.”
Hillary Clinton to testify in US House panel’s Epstein probe
Hello and welcome to the US politics live blog.
Former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton is to testify behind closed doors later today before a congressional committee investigating the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell.
Former president Bill Clinton is scheduled to answer questions tomorrow from the Republican-led House Oversight Committee about his relations with Epstein, who died in a New York jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial.
The Clintons had initially rejected subpoenas ordering them to testify in the panel’s probe, but the Democratic power couple eventually agreed to do so after House Republicans threatened to hold them in contempt of Congress, AFP reported.
The proceedings will take place behind closed doors but will be recorded, with footage expected to be released later – an arrangement reminiscent of what happened with Clinton’s 1998 grand jury testimony, which was made public the following month.
Bill Clinton has denied any wrongdoing but is under scrutiny over admissions that he flew on Epstein’s private plane several times. Photos in the recently released files show the ex-president in potentially compromising poses – particularly one with him in a hot tub with Epstein and a woman whose identity is redacted. Hillary, for her part, denies ever having met Epstein but acknowledges meeting Ghislaine Maxwell, his partner and convicted co-conspirator.
For Republicans, putting a searchlight on the Clintons has the advantage of deflecting attention from Donald Trump’s relationship with Epstein.
The Clintons called for their depositions to be public but the committee insisted on questioning them behind closed doors, a move Bill Clinton denounced as “pure politics” and akin to a “kangaroo court.”
He wrote on X:
If they want answers, let’s stop the games + do this the right way: in a public hearing, where the American people can see for themselves what this is really about.
In other developments:
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The FBI fired at least 10 people this week who worked on the special counsel’s investigation of Donald Trump for illegally taking classified documents after he lost the presidency and left office in 2021.
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A federal judge in Boston ruled on Wednesday that the Trump administration’s third-country removal policy, deporting immigrants to countries to which they have no ties, is unlawful.
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Dr Jerome Adams, who served as the US surgeon general during Donald Trump’s first term, denounced the president’s nomination of Dr Casey Means, a wellness influencer without a medical license
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Minnesota’s governor, Tim Walz, said to the Trump administration’s decision to withhold $259m in federal Medicaid funds from his state “has nothing to do with fraud”, but is instead about Trump “weaponizing the entirety of the federal government to punish blue states”.
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