Why was the Clinton hearing on Epstein Files delayed today? Here’s what we know
House Oversight Committee pushes Bill and Hilary Clinton's testimony of presence in the Epstein Files to January amid controversy and scheduling conflicts
The much-anticipated congressional depositions of former US President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, connected to the ongoing investigation into Jeffrey Epstein’s files, were delayed on December 15.
Originally set to be heard this week, the testimony has now been postponed to January 13 and 14, 2026. The perpetual hearing date was sent to the Clintons' legal team after there was a disagreement with the committee, and the legal team failed to produce mutually agreeable dates.
Read more: US judge orders release of Epstein-related grand jury records in Maxwell case
Scheduling and legal negotiations
The committee disagreed with the Clintons' legal team regarding the necessity of in-person depositions in their correspondence. The legal team argued that other subpoenaed parties were permitted to submit written statements rather than appear live.
The House Oversight Committee, led by Representative James Comer, has called Clinton's legal team's repeated argument about unfair treatment “baseless.”
According to a recent letter obtained by CNN, Comer pushed back the legal team's argument, saying, “Unlike these other individuals, President Clinton and Secretary Clinton had a personal relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.”
As part of its probe into Epstein's sex trafficking network and the federal government's conduct of its investigation, Comer has been advocating for in-person depositions. In August 2025, the committee subpoenaed both Clintons to testify under oath over their connections to Epstein and his close colleague Ghislaine Maxwell.
Comer says, “It has been more than four months… they have delayed, obstructed, and largely ignored the Committee staff’s efforts to schedule their testimony.”
David Kendall, the Clintons' lawyer, claimed this week that a funeral conflict prevented both Bill and Hillary Clinton from attending the planned late-December sessions and declined to provide alternate dates at that time.
Comer responded to them in the letter by informing the couple's attorney that the committee had rescheduled the dates for January. He also threatened to hold them in contempt of Congress if they failed to show up.
Read more: New Epstein photos show Bill Gates, Trump, Clinton with disgraced financier
Epstein Files Transparency Act and next steps
The Epstein Files Transparency Act was passed in Congress with overwhelming bipartisan support in November 2025. US courts recently cleared the release of sealed investigative material ahead of a December 19 disclosure deadline.
Comer's committee claims that although neither Clinton has been charged with a crime in the Epstein case, their depositions are essential to comprehending the extent of Epstein's links and potential oversight shortcomings.
