Bill Clinton Hot Tub Photo from Epstein Files Revealed as 2002 Brunei Trip Image
A photograph depicting former President Bill Clinton reclining in a luxury hot tub, which was released as part of the Jeffrey Epstein files, was captured during a 2002 trip to Asia with Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, according to the New York Post. The image, made public for the first time in December as part of the Department of Justice's release of documents tied to Epstein, resurfaced this week as Clinton spent over six hours under oath before the House Oversight Committee, answering questions about his connections to the convicted sex offender.
'I saw nothing, and I did nothing wrong,' Clinton stated in an opening statement shared publicly before the closed-door deposition. He added that by the time of Epstein's 2008 guilty plea, 'I had long stopped associating with him.'
Scrutiny of the Hot Tub Photograph
The hot tub photo, which shows Clinton leaning back with his arms behind his head while a woman's face is redacted by a black rectangle, has become one of the most closely examined images in the Epstein files. Lawmakers pressed him about it during the deposition in Chappaqua, New York, where dozens of journalists gathered outside as Secret Service officers secured the area.
Flight logs entered into court proceedings reveal that Clinton traveled aboard Epstein's private plane in May 2002. The records indicate the aircraft picked him up at a US naval air base in Japan on May 22, 2002, along with his longtime aide Doug Band and others, before stops in Hong Kong and Shenzhen, China. The group then landed in Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of Brunei, on May 25.
Location and Luxury Details
The hot tub photograph was taken at the Empire Hotel in Brunei, where Clinton stayed in the opulent Emperor Suite—a sprawling, ultra-luxury accommodation featuring its own elevator, pool, jacuzzi, steam room, and theater, according to the Post. The Emperor Suite includes a private pool and jacuzzi, as reflected in the photo set released in the Justice Department files.
The newly surfaced photographs include not only the hot tub image but also several other shots of Clinton swimming in a pool alongside Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted of sex trafficking in 2021. The hot tub and pool appear to be part of the same luxury suite area based on the full set of images made public.
Clinton's Testimony and Denials
Being mentioned in the Justice Department files does not imply wrongdoing, and neither Bill nor Hillary Clinton has been accused of a crime or formally investigated in connection with Epstein. Clinton has acknowledged flying on Epstein's plane multiple times in the early 2000s for work connected to the Clinton Foundation, but he has consistently denied any knowledge of Epstein's criminal conduct.
'Not only would I not have flown on his plane if I had any inkling of what he was doing—I would have turned him in,' Clinton said.
During his deposition on Friday, Clinton also appeared to criticize the process that compelled him and his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, to testify. 'I hope that by being here today, we can bring ourselves just a little further from the brink, and back to being a country where we can disagree civilly and we can search for truth and justice, and it outweighs the partisan urge to score points and create spectacle,' he said in a video statement posted afterward.
Political Reactions and Committee Statements
The Republican chair of the House Oversight Committee, Rep. James Comer, stated, 'we believe this was a very productive deposition that President Clinton answered every question—or attempted to answer every question.' Additional images from the same release show Clinton in a pool alongside Ghislaine Maxwell and another redacted individual.
Rep. Nancy Mace, a Republican member of the committee, alleged there were 'inconsistencies' in Clinton's testimony but did not provide specific examples. Other GOP members described him as candid. 'Clinton was quite candid, perhaps more candid than his attorneys were comfortable,' said Rep. Nick Langworthy.
Democrats have countered that the probe should extend further. In his opening statement on Friday, Clinton reiterated, 'I saw nothing, and I did nothing wrong.' Hillary Clinton testified a day earlier and said lawmakers should ask Trump 'directly under oath about the tens of thousands of times he shows up in the Epstein files.'
'Let's be real, we are talking to the wrong president,' said Democratic Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, arguing that President Donald Trump should also testify. Hillary Clinton echoed that sentiment, emphasizing the need for Trump's testimony under oath.
Trump, speaking to reporters, said he liked Clinton and 'don't like seeing him deposed,' while continuing to question the broader investigation. The Clintons have been contacted for comment, with no further statements released at this time.
