Former US President Bill Clinton’s spokesperson accused the White House of shifting blame onto him after the release of Epstein-related files. The remarks came late on Friday. The US Department of Justice released the files under a congressional order.
The release included photos showing Clinton with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Another image showed Clinton with a young woman in a swimming pool. These images quickly triggered political reactions.
Spokesperson denies White House motive
Clinton’s spokesperson rejected claims that the photo release aimed to protect the former president. She accused the current administration of acting in self-interest.
“The White House hasn’t been hiding these files for months only to dump them late on a Friday to protect Bill Clinton,” the spokesperson said in a post on X.
“This is about shielding themselves from what comes next, or from what they’ll try and hide forever. 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,” the statement added.
— Angel Ureña (@angelurena) December 19, 2025
Chief of staff remark cited by Clinton camp
The spokesperson also pointed to comments made by White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. Wiles earlier said President Donald Trump was “wrong about Clinton.”
On-the-record statement from White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. pic.twitter.com/M9oTj0XlKK
— Angel Ureña (@angelurena) December 16, 2025
She made the remark in an interview with Vanity Fair. Wiles said Clinton never visited Epstein’s private Caribbean island. Trump had repeatedly claimed otherwise.
Clinton team moves into damage control
Clinton has long said he cut ties with Epstein in 2005. This happened before Epstein pleaded guilty in Florida to solicitation of a minor.
Clinton’s spokesperson, Angel Ureña, defended the former president and drew a clear line between two groups of people.
“There are two types of people here. 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. No amount of stalling by people in the second group will change that. Everyone, especially MAGA, expects answers, not scapegoats," she said.
Photos fuel political reaction
The Justice Department’s release included a photo of Clinton in an underground swimming pool. The image showed Maxwell and a woman whose face was blurred. Another photo showed Clinton at a dinner with Epstein, Mick Jagger, and other public figures.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later shared the pool photo on X. She captioned it “Oh my!” and added a red-faced emoji.
Oh my! 😳 https://t.co/QDTrI9pNhE
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) December 19, 2025
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung also reacted online. “Slick Willy! @BillClinton just chillin, without a care in the world. Little did he know…,” he posted on X.