House Oversight Chairman James Comer backed First Lady Melania Trump's call for public hearings so Jeffrey Epstein's victims can testify under oath, saying "we will have hearings." Committee lawyers are in steady contact with victims; some are willing to testify while others have declined. The planned hearings will follow completion of depositions, and additional high-profile figures are expected to provide testimony. The DOJ has released millions of pages of records identifying more than 1,200 victims connected to Epstein.
Comer Pledges Public Hearings With Jeffrey Epstein Victims After Melania Trump's Call
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) updates the media on the committee's closed-door deposition of Darren Indyke, Jeffrey Epstein's former lawyer and a co-executor of the Epstein estate, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 19, 2026. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper
WASHINGTON, April 10 (Reuters) - House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer on Friday endorsed First Lady Melania Trump's call for public congressional hearings that would allow victims of Jeffrey Epstein to testify under oath, saying the committee "will have hearings."
Comer told Fox News' America Reports that attorneys for the Oversight Committee have been in steady contact with Epstein's victims and that some are willing to testify publicly while others have declined.
"I agree with the first lady and appreciate what she said. We will have hearings," Comer said. "We have always planned on having a hearing with Epstein victims once the depositions have been completed, so we've still got some more high-profile men that are coming in."
Comer's remarks follow renewed attention to Epstein after the U.S. Department of Justice released millions of pages of documents related to the late financier. The released records identify more than 1,200 people described as victims in connection with Epstein's activities.
Background
Jeffrey Epstein was facing federal charges of sex-trafficking minors before his death in a New York jail in 2019, which was ruled a suicide. The newly released files and ongoing depositions have prompted calls from advocates and public figures for greater transparency and for victims to have a platform to testify publicly.
Comer said the committee still expects testimony from additional prominent figures as depositions continue. He emphasized the committee's intention to balance the needs of victims who want to speak publicly with sensitivity toward those who do not.
Reporting by Jasper Ward in Washington; editing by Michelle Nichols.
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