The White House is attempting to use former US President Bill Clinton as a scapegoat, his spokesperson has claimed, following the release of a cache of photographs showing him with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Photos and Accusations Emerge
The images, released by the US Department of Justice late on Friday, include a picture of Clinton in an underground swimming pool with Epstein's associate Ghislaine Maxwell and a young woman whose face has been redacted. Other photos show Clinton on a plane with Michael Jackson and Diana Ross, and at a dinner with Mick Jagger and Epstein.
In a strongly-worded statement on social media platform X, Clinton's spokesperson, Angel Ureña, accused the Biden administration of a calculated political manoeuvre. "The White House hasn’t been hiding these files for months only to dump them late on a Friday to protect Bill Clinton," the statement read.
It continued: "This is about shielding themselves from what comes next... So they can release as many grainy 20-plus-year-old photos as they want, but this isn’t about Bill Clinton. Never has, never will be."
Clinton's Defence and Trump's Insinuations
Clinton has consistently maintained that he severed all ties with the disgraced financier around 2005, before Epstein pleaded guilty to soliciting a minor in Florida. The statement sought to draw a clear line between those who cut contact and those who did not.
"There are two types of people here," Ureña stated. "The first group knew nothing and cut Epstein off before his crimes came to light. The second group continued relationships with him after. We’re in the first."
The release has ignited fresh political sparring, with former President Donald Trump repeatedly insinuating a close relationship between Clinton and Epstein. Last month, Trump called for an investigation into their ties. The Clinton camp hit back, referencing comments from Trump's own White House chief of staff, Susie Wiles, who acknowledged that Clinton had never visited Epstein's Caribbean island, contrary to Trump's claims.
Political Theatre and Upcoming Depositions
The photo release was quickly leveraged by Trump allies within the current White House. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt posted the pool photo on X with the caption "Oh my!", while communications director Steven Cheung wrote, "Slick Willy! @BillClinton just chillin, without a care in the world. Little did he know…"
This development coincides with impending legal scrutiny for both Bill and Hillary Clinton. They are scheduled to give depositions to the House oversight committee on 13 and 14 January regarding their connections to Epstein. Committee chair James Comer has threatened contempt proceedings if they fail to appear.
Historical records show Epstein was a frequent visitor to the White House during Clinton's presidency, with at least 17 logged visits. After leaving office, Clinton travelled on Epstein's private jet for philanthropic trips related to his Clinton Global Initiative. Clinton has never been formally accused of any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein's crimes.
The strategic late-Friday document dump and the fierce response from Clinton's team underscore the ongoing use of the Epstein scandal as a potent political weapon, with all sides seeking to control the narrative ahead of a contentious election year.
