James Comer Defends Donald Trump Amid Epstein Files Drama

House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) told Fox News’ Sean Hannity that President Donald Trump has been "completely exonerated" by the newly released Epstein files.

Comer said that the gathered evidence, including survivor testimony and FBI records, does not implicate Trump in any of Epstein's criminal activities.

Comer was on Hannity on Thursday, February 19, to discuss the bombshell arrest of former Prince Andrew over his own ties to dead child predator Jeffrey Epstein.

When asked by Hannity why former Attorney General Merrick Garland did not discuss the Epstein case during his time at the Department of Justice, Comer claimed that public focus on Epstein only began when it seemed as though the president could be implicated.

Epstein-related files could not be legally released during Garland's term because the case of Epstein's co-conspirator and convicted child predator Ghislaine Maxwell was still under appeal, though Comer ignored that fact.

“Well, the Democrats did not care about Epstein until someone had the notion that Donald Trump may have been involved,” he said. “What we have seen from the millions of documents that have been released is that Donald Trump is completely exonerated in the whole Epstein saga."

Comer also cited transcripts from former Attorney General Bill Barr and former Labor Secretary Alex Acosta, asserting they confirmed there was no link or contact between Trump and Epstein during the 2008 Florida investigation.

Comer said that if the president had committed any wrongdoing, that information would have been leaked by now.

“If there had been any dirt on Donald Trump, that would have leaked out because Donald Trump has that many enemies in the Department of Justice, in the deep state apparatuses that were supposed to be investigating Epstein,” Comer said. “So with respect to Trump, I don’t think there’s anything there.”

Trump agreed and told press on Air Force One Thursday that he was indeed exonerated.

“I have nothing to hide! I’ve been exonerated! I have nothing to do with Jeffrey Epstein,” he said.

House Oversight Democrats and other critics, including former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, have accused the Trump administration of "slow-walking" or covering up the full record. They maintain the files raise serious questions about Trump's knowledge of Epstein's actions.

In late 2025, Comer was criticized for a verbal gaffe where he claimed convicted Maxwell had "exonerated" Trump during an interview with her lawyer.

While the DOJ has called some allegations in the files "unfounded," the documents confirm that Trump flew on Epstein’s plane in the 1990s and moved in the same social circles for decades.

Legal analyst and former U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade challenged Trump’s claims of "total exoneration” and argued that the current lack of new charges in the released files does not constitute a legal "exoneration."

McQuade also emphasized that the documents actually raise "more questions" regarding Trump's past ties to Epstein and suggested the scandal is "not done yet.”