'Never met him': JB Pritzker denies Epstein ties after Clinton mentions him in deposition

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: Illinois Governor JB Pritzker is pushing back after former President Bill Clinton suggested in a deposition that the governor may have once traveled with him on a plane owned by Jeffrey Epstein.

The issue surfaced Monday night when a 90-second clip from Clinton’s closed-door deposition before the US House Oversight and Government Reform Committee began circulating online. In it, Clinton tried to recall who joined him on more than two dozen flights he took on Epstein’s plane and mentioned the governor of Illinois and his wife.

Pritzker responded firmly the next day.

JB Pritzker says he never met Jeffrey Epstein

Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Pritzker made his position clear.

“No, I have never, had never met Jeffrey Epstein,” he said. “I was never on Jeffrey Epstein's plane. I was never on any plane with Jeffrey Epstein or with Ghislaine Maxwell. Never met her.”

He added that he had not even heard of Epstein until around 2019, when Epstein was indicted for crimes from the early 2000s.

Pritzker said Clinton was simply mistaken in his recollection. “Clearly he was mistaken,” the governor said in Chicago.

Bill Clinton’s deposition and spokesperson response

In the deposition clip, Clinton explained that the people who flew with him were often foundation staffers, volunteers, Secret Service agents, and, on one occasion, the governor of Illinois and his wife.

“For example, I think it was on one of these trips – I think – that I had my first trip for a man who is now the governor of Illinois, JB Pritzker, and his wife,” Clinton said. “They gave me – they helped me get started.”

On Tuesday, Clinton spokesperson Angel Urena issued a clarification.

“President Clinton was simply giving an example of the many people he traveled with to see the Clinton Foundation's work,” Urena said in a statement.

“Gov. Pritzker joined a Clinton Foundation trip in 2008. Not on Epstein's plane. Not with Epstein. Not with Maxwell.”

Clinton has previously said he cut ties before Epstein’s first arrest in 2005 and sentencing in 2008.

Clinton and Pritzker were photographed together in Rwanda in August 2008 on a Clinton Foundation trip. Pritzker said the plane used for that trip was donated by Google.

Neither Pritzker nor the Clintons have been accused of wrongdoing related to Epstein.

Political backlash and broader Epstein debate

Despite the denial, Illinois Republicans quickly seized on the moment. State Rep. John Cabello posted on X, questioning why the governor was on Epstein’s plane and saying it was “time to do some explaining.”

Pritzker brushed off the criticism, calling it a distraction.

“It’s a wag the dog,” he said.

“Let’s, you know, ‘look over here, look over here.’ Don’t look at the leader of their party, the leader of this country, who is a Republican, Donald Trump, who clearly is somebody that needs to be investigated, needs to be answering for his relationship with Ghislaine Maxwell, with Jeffrey Epstein, and has done none of that. You saw other people testifying. Where is President Trump’s testimony?”

Trump’s name appears thousands of times in documents released so far, though he has denied wrongdoing.

Meanwhile, Illinois Democrats have introduced House Bill 5723, known as the Illinois Epstein Files Investigation Act.

The proposed bill would create a governor-appointed commission to examine Illinois-based crimes connected to Epstein’s network, focusing on victims in the state.

Pritzker also addressed questions about his cousin, Thomas Pritzker, who stepped down as executive chairman of Hyatt Hotels after emails tied him to Epstein became public.

The governor said he is not close to his cousin and that anyone who did wrong should be held accountable.