President Trump said he feels bad about former President Bill Clinton being compelled to testify to the House Oversight Committee about his ties to deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, but said investigations into him were far worse.
“I don’t like seeing him deposed,” Mr. Trump told reporters as he departed the White House on Friday on his way to Texas. “They certainly went after me a lot more than that. I like him, and I don’t like seeing him deposed,” the president said.
The remarks were Mr. Trump’s first about the depositions of Mr. Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who testified on Thursday.
The Clintons testified before the House Oversight Committee in New York this week. Both denied any knowledge of Epstein’s crimes.
“I had no idea of the crimes Epstein was committing,” Mr. Clinton said in his opening statement, later adding, “I did nothing wrong.”
Mr. Clinton has not been accused of criminal wrongdoing in connection with Epstein, but is mentioned multiple times in the Justice Department files.
The former president appears in photos with Epstein that have been released in recent months, and took trips with him decades ago.
Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, Kentucky Republican, said lawmakers planned to ask Mr. Clinton about the photos, flights he took on Epstein’s jet and White House events that Epstein attended during the Clinton presidency.
Mr. Trump is also mentioned many times in the Epstein files. He has also denied any wrongdoing and said he ended his friendship with Epstein more than two decades ago. Law enforcement has not accused him of criminal wrongdoing.
