- Bill Clinton publicly responded for the first time to a widely circulated image from the latest Epstein document release
- The photo shows him relaxing in a hot tub beside a woman whose face has been obscured
- During a lengthy deposition, Clinton said he does not recall the picture being taken
Bill Clinton has broken his silence about one of the most talked-about images to emerge from the latest release of records tied to Jeffrey Epstein. The photo depicts the former president seated in a hot tub alongside a woman whose identity is concealed by a black square.
Appearing before the House Oversight Committee for a deposition in Chappaqua, New York, on Friday, Feb. 27, the 79-year-old addressed questions about the image during nearly four and a half hours of testimony.
“I don’t think I ever knew the photo was taken,” Clinton said, adding that he is “almost sure” it was captured at a hotel in Brunei during the final stop of an Asian trip connected to his AIDS initiative.
According to Clinton, the visit followed conversations he had years earlier with Brunei’s Sultan and Prime Minister, Hassanal Bolkiah, whom he met while serving in the White House. When the Sultan learned of Clinton’s planned visit, Clinton said he offered support for the AIDS program and encouraged him to stay at a particular hotel and use its facilities.
“So I did,” Clinton testified. “And then I got out and went to bed exhausted.”
Another image included in the Department of Justice’s recent disclosure shows Clinton swimming in a pool with Epstein and his associate, Ghislaine Maxwell. Clinton told lawmakers he spent only a brief period in the water before retiring for the evening. He added that he did not know the identity of the woman photographed with him in the hot tub but recalled that a Secret Service agent was present in the room.
Clinton further stated that the woman was not under 18 and said he had no sexual relationship with her.
The newly released batch of photos and documents was made public under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, legislation requiring the Justice Department to disclose materials connected to Epstein’s sex trafficking investigation. Among the records are photos of Clinton alongside public figures such as Mick Jagger, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson. Jagger and Ross have not been accused of wrongdoing.
A spokesperson for Clinton previously pointed to a statement posted on X by his former deputy chief of staff, Angel Ureña. The message rejected suggestions that the White House delayed releasing documents to shield Clinton, arguing instead that the timing was politically motivated.
“They can release as many grainy 20-plus-year-old photos as they want, but this isn’t about Bill Clinton,” the statement said. It added that some individuals severed ties with Epstein before his crimes became public, while others allegedly maintained relationships afterward, asserting that Clinton belonged to the former group.
Meanwhile, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche has said the Department of Justice cannot yet release the files in their entirety. In a Dec. 19 post on X, Blanche explained that additional time is needed to complete redactions across hundreds of thousands of pages, emphasizing that future disclosures will comply with the law and protect victims’ privacy.
