Trump and Epstein statues return to National Mall
A statue of President Donald Trump holding hands with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has returned to the National Mall a week after it was removed by the NPS.
Bill Gates is the latest high-profile figure to come under congressional scrutiny as newly released Justice Department files related to Jeffrey Epstein continue to spotlight high-profile figures.
The Microsoft co-founder will be present for a transcription of an interview before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on June 10, a person familiar with the proceedings confirmed to USA TODAY.
Gates had previously dined with Epstein several times and said at the time that he believed Epstein would use his wealthy connections to raise money for global health causes.
A spokesperson for Gates told The Hill: “Although Gates did not witness or participate in any of Mr. Epstein’s illegal activities, he looks forward to answering all of the committee’s questions in support of its important work.”
Here are some of the other prominent names called before lawmakers to answer questions about Epstein.
Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton
Former President Bill Clinton denied any wrongdoing in his relationship with Epstein on February 27, when House Republicans questioned him about his fundraising, frequent visits to the White House, and photos in Justice Department files.
He told lawmakers in his opening statement that he had “no knowledge of the crimes that Epstein was committing” and denied the significance of his appearance in decades-old photos included in records tied to Epstein’s estate.
The next day, on February 26, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told lawmakers she had never met Epstein, flown on his plane or visited his private island. She admitted that she was “casually” acquainted with Epstein’s colleague Ghislaine Maxwell.
Hillary Clinton said: “Like every decent human being, I am horrified by what I have learned about their crimes.”
wexner family
Also in February, billionaire retail executive Les Wexner appeared before Congress under subpoena from House Democrats, calling him a “world-class fraudster” who defrauded Epstein, according to testimony.
Mr. Wexner, who founded companies including Victoria’s Secret and Abercrombie & Fitch, acknowledged that Mr. Epstein previously served as his personal advisor with broad authority over multimillion-dollar financial matters. He denied knowing about Epstein’s crimes or being involved in his abuse of girls and young women, PBS News reported.
howard lutnick
Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick has also agreed to testify before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, with his appearance scheduled for May 6, according to committee leadership.
“The Secretary has proactively agreed to appear before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee,” Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) said in a post about X. “I applaud the Secretary’s demonstrated commitment to transparency.”
Lutnick previously told senators in February that he visited Epstein’s private island in December 2012 and brought his wife, four children and a nanny. He said he could not remember why they were on Little St. James Island but saw no inappropriate behavior.
After the release of the Epstein files, former Attorney General Pam Bondi became the focus of congressional scrutiny, with lawmakers harshly criticizing the Justice Department’s handling of the disclosures.
Tensions reached a climax during a controversial House Judiciary Committee hearing on February 11, marked by heated exchanges between Bondi and House Democrats.
Following this testimony, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee subpoenaed Bondi to appear again on April 14 to answer further questions about the Epstein file.
Lawmakers say the Epstein investigation is far from over and more high-profile figures are poised to be called before Congress.
USA TODAY’s Zac Anderson, Sarah Wire, Bart Jansen, Josh Meyer and Kathryn Palmer contributed to this report.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Contact us at fernando.cervantes@usatodayco.com and follow us at X @fern_cerv_.
