House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer has said any attempt by the ex-presidential couple to avoid subpoenas will constitute contempt of Congress

US House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer has demanded that former President Bill Clinton and his wife, former Secretary of State , testify before lawmakers about the late convicted sex-trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. He warned that failing to comply with subpoenas issued earlier this year would mean serious consequences for both.

Epstein, convicted of sex offenses in 2008, was charged again in 2019 with trafficking minors and running an underage sex ring. He was found dead in a Manhattan jail cell later that year.

According to a press release from the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on Friday, Comer "sent a letter to Bill and Hillary Clinton's attorney, David Kendall [saying that they]... are required to comply with lawful subpoenas and appear for scheduled in-person depositions." He noted that both Republicans and Democrats on the committee "approved a motion to issue subpoenas to Bill and Hillary Clinton" in July.

"Given their history with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, any attempt by the Clintons to avoid sitting for a deposition would be... grounds to initiate contempt of Congress proceedings," Comer said.

The document states that Bill Clinton had been summoned to appear on December 17, and Hillary the following day.

The ex-president previously admitted he had traveled on a jet with Epstein, but insisted that he had never visited the financier's infamous island.

In July, the Wall Street Journal claimed that Clinton had once written a personal note to Epstein, that reportedly read: "It's reassuring isn't it, to have lasted as long, across all the years of learning and knowing, adventures and [illegible word], and also to have your childlike curiosity, the drive to make a difference and the solace of friends."

A spokesman for Clinton declined to comment on the note at the time, stating that the former president had severed ties with Epstein long before his 2019 arrest and was unaware of his alleged crimes.

In a post on his Truth Social platform last Friday, US President Donald Trump said he had directed Attorney General Pam Bondi and the Justice Department to investigate "Jeffrey Epstein's involvement and relationship" with Bill Clinton and several other prominent Democrats.

On Wednesday, Trump signed a bill requiring the Justice Department to release files related to the Epstein case.

In his post, Trump suggested that "perhaps the truth about these Democrats, and their associations with Jeffrey Epstein, will soon be revealed," mentioning Bill Clinton among several others.

Trump's move marked a shift from his earlier position. For months, he had urged House Republicans to block the release of the files, arguing that Democrats wanted to use the materials to damage his presidency.