Trump blasts Hillary Clinton over claim Epstein scrutiny is ‘diversion’ from him

Trump says he was 'totally exonerated,' rejects any Epstein ties, and accuses Clinton of projecting and spreading political disinformation
PUBLISHED FEB 17, 2026
President Donald Trump spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One after dismissing claims from Hillary Clinton about Jeffrey Epstein (Getty Images)
President Donald Trump spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One after dismissing claims from Hillary Clinton about Jeffrey Epstein (Getty Images)


WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump on Monday, February 16, said he has “nothing to hide” regarding convicted s*x offender Jeffrey Epstein and claimed he had been “totally exonerated,” after Hillary Clinton suggested he was attempting to divert attention from himself by drawing her and former President Bill Clinton into the controversy.

Speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump dismissed Clinton’s remarks and accused her of suffering from “Trump derangement syndrome,” referencing her comments at the Munich Security Conference earlier this month.

The exchange reignited a long-running political feud as both sides trade accusations over responsibility, credibility, and transparency in connection with the Epstein case.

IN FLIGHT - FEBRUARY 16: President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media aboard Air Force One while flying from Palm Beach International Airport on February 16, 2026 en route to Washington, DC. President Trump returned to Washington after a Presidents Day weekend in Florida. (Photo by Nathan Howard/Getty Images)
President Donald Trump spoke to members of the media aboard Air Force One while flying to Washington, DC on February 16, 2026 (Nathan Howard/Getty Images)

Trump says he was 'totally exonerated' in Epstein matter

Asked about Clinton’s claim that she and her husband were being “pulled into the Epstein matter to divert attention” from his administration, Trump responded bluntly.

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

“They went in hoping that they’d find it and found just the opposite. I’ve been totally exonerated,” he added, claiming past investigations failed to uncover any wrongdoing on his part.

Trump also suggested that Epstein had opposed his political rise. “In fact, Jeffrey Epstein was fighting that I don’t get elected with some author, a sleazebag, by the way,” he said, reiterating, “I’ve been totally exonerated.”

Hillary Clinton moderates the panel talk
Hillary Clinton moderated a panel discussion at the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany on February 14, 2026 (Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

Turning his focus back to Clinton, Trump said, “No, no, they’re getting pulled in and that’s their problem. I don’t know. They’re going to have to see what happens. But I watched her in Munich and she seriously has Trump derangement syndrome.”

When asked whether Clinton should publicly testify, Trump repeated that others, not him, were now under scrutiny. “They’ve been pulled in. Clinton and many other Democrats have been pulled in,” he said.

Clinton accuses Trump of diversion and ‘cover-up’

Clinton made her remarks during a panel discussion at the Munich Security Conference on February 14, where she alleged that Trump was using the Epstein controversy to redirect attention away from himself.

She also accused the Trump administration of a “cover-up” in its handling of files related to Epstein and called for greater transparency, saying, “Get the files out.”



Beyond the Epstein issue, Clinton launched a broader attack on Trump’s leadership, accusing him of undermining Western alliances and democratic norms.

She said Trump had “betrayed the West, he’s betrayed human values, he’s betrayed the NATO charter, the Atlantic Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”

Munich exchange highlights sharp foreign policy divide

During the same panel, Clinton asserted that Trump was “modeling himself after” Russian President Vladimir Putin, suggesting he favored unaccountable power structures over democratic governance.

Her comments drew a pointed response from Czech Deputy Prime Minister Petr Macinka, who remarked, “I think you really don’t like him.”



Clinton replied, “That is absolutely true. Not only do I not like him, I don’t like him because of what he’s doing to the United States and the world.”

The exchange underscored the deep ideological rift between Trump and his critics, particularly over US foreign policy, relations with Europe, and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

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