Former US president Bill Clinton denied wrongdoing on Friday to a congressional panel probing his links to Jeffrey Epstein, as Democrats seek to shift focus onto Donald Trump's own ties to the notorious sex offender.

Clinton features prominently throughout the Epstein files, but he insists that he broke ties well before the disgraced billionaire's 2008 conviction for sex offences.

Clinton said in his opening statement "not only would I not have flown on his plane if I had any inkling of what he was doing – I would have turned him in."

The Republican chair of the House committee probing Epstein, James Comer, said ahead of Clinton's deposition that he would be "asking lots of questions." His Republican colleague Anna Paulina Luna said the former president was cooperative.

But Democrats on the committee reiterated their call for Trump, who also has well-documented links to Epstein, to be quizzed.

"Let's be real, we are talking to the wrong president," said Democrat committee member Suhas Subramanyam, who also emphasized that Clinton had not dodged any questions.

In his statement, Clinton did not name Trump directly but said "no person is above the law, even presidents – especially presidents."

As for Trump, he repeated his scepticism over the whole process, telling reporters he likes Clinton "and I don't like seeing him deposed."

The depositions are being held in Chappaqua, New York, home to the Clintons, behind closed doors. Bill Clinton has likened the proceedings to a "kangaroo court", and the couple has called for them to be open and televised. (AFP)



Edited by Robert Kemp