Clinton's Epstein testimony resumes after photo leaked - as she accuses officials of Trump 'cover-up'

That's all now from the Democrats. They have gone back inside the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center to rejoin the deposition.

We're expecting Republicans to give their own news conference shortly. We'll bring you more on that as it happens.

Hillary Clinton is testifying to the US House Oversight Committee investigating the Jeffrey Epstein case. The deposition was briefly paused after committee rules were breached. Follow the latest.

Thursday 26 February 2026 19:58, UK

That's all now from the Democrats. They have gone back inside the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center to rejoin the deposition.

We're expecting Republicans to give their own news conference shortly. We'll bring you more on that as it happens.

House Oversight Committee Democrat Robert Garcia demands a full transcript of Hillary Clinton's testimony be released "immediately" or within 24 hours.

"What was important for her is that her answers to the questions not be edited," he tells reporters.

It will be up to the Republican majority on the committee to decide whether to do so - they have already blocked the media from the deposition.

Clinton is answering all questions and has not used her fifth amendment right to avoid doing so, Garcia says.

He adds that there should be repercussions for the congressperson who leaked a photo of Clinton online.

"Everybody was very taken aback by the committee rules being essentially not enforced and certainly broken immediately."

Virginia congressman James Walkinshaw says the Trump administration's treatment of Jeffrey Epstein survivors "has been of a callous disregard".

"We've seen that in his refusal to release the files. We saw that at the state of the union with his refusal to acknowledge the survivors who were in the chamber."

He says that, after hearing from Hillary Clinton, there are no further questions to ask her about whether she had a relationship with Epstein's co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell.

"There was not one," he says.

Instead, Walkinshaw says questions must be put to the Trump administration about Maxwell, including why the president has refused to rule out the pardon that she wants.

"He needs to unequivocally rule out a pardon for Ghislaine Maxwell, who is a monster convicted of child sex trafficking."

Democratic politicians on the oversight committee are continuing to hold an interim news conference as Hillary Clinton testifies.

Representative Wesley Bell says Republicans calling Hillary Clinton to testify in the first place was "political theatre" and "are looking for headlines and Tweets" rather than "justice for the victims".

The job of the committee is to "ensure that all the evidence, any information, is heard and that any survivors' voices are heard".

"Today, we have learned not one new thing," he says.

Clinton "would be happy" for the media to be allowed in to see for themselves, but Republicans have blocked that from happening, Bell adds.

Yassamin Ansari is next to speak in Chappaqua, New York.

She says she's been "extremely, extremely appalled" by the behaviour of the committee "and how unserious they are about this investigation".

"We are sitting through an incredibly unserious clown show of a deposition where members of Congress and the Republican Party are more concerned about getting their photo-op of Secretary Clinton than actually getting to the truth and holding anyone accountable."

She adds: "Young people in this country are watching to see if powerful people will continue to protect other powerful people, and whether or not Congress will actually hold these perpetrators accountable."

House Oversight Committee Democrats are speaking outside Hillary Clinton's testimony.

Robert Garcia says Hillary Clinton never met Jeffrey Epstein, never visited his island and never flew on his plane.

She also had "zero knowledge" of his crimes, he reiterates, and is "completely cooperating" with the oversight committee.

"What is not acceptable is Oversight Republicans breaking their own committee rules that they established... by releasing photos."

He is referring to the leak of a photo of Clinton from inside the deposition by Republican congresswoman Lauren Boebert.

Garcia then takes aim at the White House and the Department of Justice.

"We want to understand right now where the missing FBI files are.

"These are files that accuse the president of the United States about serious, serious accusations around sexual abuse.

"The fact that they are not in the files and have been apparently either removed or discarded is incredibly concerning."

Donald Trump has denied all accusations of wrongdoing, saying the Epstein files exonerated him.

He continues: "We're demanding immediately that we ask President Trump to testify in front of our committee and be deposed in front of Oversight Republicans and Democrats."

Hillary Clinton's lawyers objected "vociferously" after the House Oversight Committee learned a photograph of Clinton answering questions had been leaked online, according to reports.

The attorneys immediately asked to pause the closed-door proceedings and highlighted the fact Clinton had requested and was denied a public hearing, the New York Times reported.

Republican congresswoman Lauren Boebert shared the photo, which was posted on social media by right-wing podcaster Benny Johnson.

Democratic politician Robert Garcia, a ranking member of the committee, called for the media to be allowed into the deposition following the leak, a source told the NYT.

Despite the Clintons accusing the House Oversight Committee of playing "party politics" by ordering them to testify, James Comer, the committee's chair, reiterated earlier the Epstein probe is not partisan in its nature.

When asked whether he would bring US trade secretary Howard Lutnick in for questioning, Comer said it was "very possible" and there was a "good possibility his name will arise in some questioning today".

Lutnick has been tied to Epstein and has admitted he had lunch with Epstein on his private island. He has not been accused of any illegal wrongdoing or complicity in Epstein's crimes.

"I want to remind everyone we've already brought in Alex Acosta and Bill Barr for depositions," Comer added.

"That's two Republicans in the Trump administration. So this isn't just about Democrats."

After a pause, the House Oversight Committee's deposition of Hillary Clinton has restarted.

It was put on hold after Republican Representative Lauren Boebert shared a photo of Clinton inside the closed-door proceedings with political commentator Benny Johnson, who posted it on social media.

The photo violated committee rules for depositions, but Boebert posted on X to say that the influencer "did nothing wrong".

"Photo was prior to hearing just as the witness' opening statement was released prior to the deposition beginning. Fun little break," she told the BBC.

A close friend and former aide of the Clintons has told Sky News that Republicans have "created a trap" for Donald Trump by enforcing a subpoena on former US president Bill Clinton to testify about Jeffrey Epstein.

He says the Democrats will surely respond by forcing Trump to testify himself "if and when" they take control of Congress.

"It has established a precedent," Sidney Blumenthal tells chief presenter Mark Austin.

He says cabinet members such as Howard Lutnick, commerce secretary, and Pam Bondi, attorney general, could also be called to testify, as could Melania Trump over her previous relationship with Epstein co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell.

Blumenthal also comments on reports suggesting the US justice department has been witholding documents relating to allegations of Trump sexually abusing a minor from its release of the Epstein files. Trump denies all allegations.

"I think that what we're watching in realtime is a cover-up," he says.

"It was Richard Nixon in Watergate about whom it was said that 'it's the cover up, not the crime' that gets you in the end. And this is quite an elaborate cover up."

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free