ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE (Feb 17, 2026) — Speaking to reporters during a press gaggle today, President Donald Trump once again dismissed links to the late Jeffrey Epstein, claiming that millions of recently released documents have “totally exonerated” him.
The statements come as the Justice Department concludes its court-mandated release of more than 3.5 million pages of investigative files related to the sex offender.
Key Defense and Claims
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“Nothing to Hide”: Trump told reporters that investigators “went in hoping that they’d find [something] and found just the opposite.”
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Focus on Opponents: The President shifted the narrative to his political rivals, labeling the scandal a “Democrat problem” and pointing to the frequent mentions of Bill Clinton in the documents.
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Exoneration Narrative: While Trump’s name appears over 38,000 times in the files (including references to Mar-a-Lago), DOJ officials noted earlier this month that the records do not contain evidence of criminal conduct by the President.
The Clinton Counter-Attack
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, speaking from Berlin on Monday, accused the Trump administration of “slow-walking” the file release to protect allies.
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Public Testimony: Both Hillary and Bill Clinton have agreed to give depositions to the House Oversight Committee, though they have demanded the hearings be made public.
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“Cover-Up” Allegations: Clinton urged the DOJ to release internal memos and emails currently withheld under “deliberative-process privilege.”
Context: The Epstein Files Transparency Act
The document dump is the result of legislation signed by Trump in late 2025. While the files provide a complex look at the social overlap between Trump and Epstein in the 1990s—including photos from Mar-a-Lago—they have yet to produce a “smoking gun” of criminal activity regarding the President.
