Former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton has accused the administration of President Donald Trump of deliberately delaying the release of files linked to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, alleging a “cover-up” in their handling.
Speaking to the BBC in Berlin on the sidelines of the annual World Forum, Clinton said the documents should be made fully public without delay. “Get the files out. They are slow-walking it,” she said, arguing that transparency is essential and that everyone should be treated equally.
The White House rejected the accusation, saying the administration has released thousands of pages of material and has done “more for the victims than Democrats ever have,” while also cooperating with congressional requests.
Asked whether Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor should testify before a US congressional committee, Clinton said anyone asked to testify should do so. She stressed that appearing in the files does not imply wrongdoing, noting that Andrew has consistently denied any misconduct.
Millions of documents related to Epstein were made public earlier this month after Congress passed legislation requiring the US Department of Justice to release investigation materials. While the Justice Department says it has met the legal requirements of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, several lawmakers argue the disclosures remain incomplete and have called for the release of internal decision-making memos.
Epstein died in a New York jail in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, more than a decade after a previous conviction involving a minor. His death came as scrutiny over his network of powerful associates intensified.
Prince Andrew has faced renewed pressure from US officials and from the family of his accuser, Virginia Giuffre, to testify about his links to Epstein. He has denied wrongdoing and settled a civil case in 2022 without admitting liability. Giuffre died in 2025.
Both Clintons are due to testify before the House Oversight Committee later this month, with Bill Clinton scheduled to appear a day after Hillary Clinton. A planned contempt vote against the couple was dropped after they agreed to testify, marking the first time since 1983 that a former US president will appear before a congressional panel.
Bill Clinton, who is mentioned multiple times in the Epstein files, has said he cut off contact with Epstein years ago. Neither of the Clintons has been accused of wrongdoing by Epstein’s victims, and both have denied knowing about his criminal activities at the time.
Hillary Clinton said she and her husband have called for the hearings to be held publicly. “We have nothing to hide,” she said, adding that she believes the focus on the Clintons is being used to divert attention from Trump, who is also mentioned frequently in the files but has denied any wrongdoing.
Clinton said she had met Epstein’s associate Ghislaine Maxwell on a few occasions, while reiterating her call for full disclosure of all relevant documents, saying public scrutiny remains the best safeguard.
With inputs from BBC