Hillary Clinton accuses Republicans of “covering up” Trump's actions in the Epstein probe. “Partisan political theater”

Hillary Clinton, the former head of US diplomacy, was called to testify behind closed doors on Thursday in the House Oversight Committee's investigation into the Epstein files, and accused Republicans of being “fully aware” that she had no information to help the investigation, instead demanding that President Donald Trump be subpoenaed, AFP, Politico and CNN wrote.

The former secretary of state claims she has no recollection of ever meeting Jeffrey Epstein, who died in 2019, and that she only interacted with the convicted sex offender's former associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence, also for sex offences.

Clinton accused the panel of “distracting attention from President Trump's actions”

She complained of “partisan political theater” by Republicans, who argue instead that the former secretary of state's testimony is vital to the House Oversight Committee's investigation.

“You forced me to testify, fully aware that I had no knowledge to assist your investigation, to distract from President Trump's actions and cover them up despite legitimate calls for answers,” Clinton said, according to her opening statement from the oversight committee, which she posted on X.

She requested that the committee also subpoena President Donald Trump to testify about interactions with Jeffrey Epstein.

“This institutional failure is designed to protect a political party and a public official, rather than seek truth and justice for victims and survivors, and the public who also want to get to the root of this problem,” Clinton continued. “My heart breaks for the survivors. And I'm furious on their behalf.”

Her husband, former President Bill Clinton, will testify on Friday

Hillary Clinton's deposition in Chappaqua, New York, came a day before her husband, former President Bill Clinton, was to testify in the House inquiry.

The Clintons have not been charged with any crime and have denied any knowledge of sex crimes by Epstein and Maxwell. The former US president has admitted flying on Epstein's plane several times, but claims he never visited the disgraced financier's private island after a wave of sex-crime allegations.

After World War II, Harry Truman and Gerald Ford were the only former presidents to testify before a congressional committee — Truman to discuss the UN Charter on its 10th anniversary and Ford to talk about the 200th anniversary of the U.S. Constitution, according to the CBC.

Bill Clinton, President of the United States from 1993 to 2001, gave several sworn statements during his two terms. Other presidents, such as Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump, have only sent written responses — Reagan on the Iran-Contra dossier, and Trump on questions about his 2016 campaign team and contacts with Russia.