Bill Gates sat for a closed-door transcribed interview Wednesday before the House Oversight Committee about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and told the panel in prepared opening remarks that he "never victimized anyone" and that meeting with Epstein was "a grave error in judgment."
A spokesperson for Gates said he "welcomes the opportunity to appear before the Committee" and added, "While he never witnessed or participated in any of Epstein's illegal conduct, he is looking forward to answering all the committee's questions to support their important work."
The committee said the interview will not be recorded and that the Republican-led panel plans to release a transcript in the days afterward; earlier appearances this year by former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton were videotaped.
In his prepared remarks, Gates said his interactions with Epstein began with "a limited number of preliminary meetings -- three in 2011 and two in 2012 -- during which I talked about the goals of my work," and that discussions expanded in 2013 and 2014 to focus on identifying potential giving structures, such as donor-advised funds, and recruiting potential donors for his global health work.
Gates told the committee he was aware Epstein had faced prior legal issues but "did not fully understand the extent of the crimes he committed," and said Epstein learned "sensitive information about my personal life," including that he had been unfaithful in his marriage. Gates said Epstein tried to use that information and "many lies" to pressure him to re-engage but was unsuccessful. Briefly to reporters on his way in, Gates said, "I'll start with an opening statement in the hearing room. I hope my testimony is helpful to the work, important work of the committee to find justice for the victims."
The Department of Justice released nearly 3.5 million documents related to Epstein earlier this year; those files show Gates's name numerous times and indicate he first met Epstein in 2011 and that an email suggests Gates planned to travel on Epstein's private plane in 2013. The records include draft emails and notes that reference Gates's alleged affairs and other unverified allegations.
The Gates Foundation said it did not move forward with any collaboration with Epstein and never transferred funds to him, and foundation officials commissioned an external review in March to assess past engagement with Epstein and its vetting policies and said they expected an update later this summer. The Wall Street Journal reported that Gates apologized to foundation staff this year and acknowledged affairs with two Russian women that Epstein later discovered.
Rep. James Comer, the committee chairman, first reached out to Gates in March to schedule the voluntary transcribed interview, and the committee has conducted similar transcribed interviews with former Attorney General Pam Bondi, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Epstein's longtime executive secretary Lesley Groff in recent weeks. Comer said he would like Todd Blanche, the acting attorney general and President Donald Trump's nominee for attorney general, to answer questions before the panel in July and said he is also seeking a transcribed interview with attorney Alan Dershowitz. Rep. Robert Garcia, the panel's ranking Democrat, said he wants Blanche to sit for a videotaped deposition under oath and has sought "video-taped, transcribed interviews" with Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel in a June 2 letter; the committee has only recorded video of depositions it held with witnesses under subpoena.