As pressure builds in Washington to release the full Jeffrey Epstein files, one question is growing louder: why has Donald Trump not agreed to testify under oath?

Trump has acknowledged knowing Epstein for years, once remarking that Epstein liked “beautiful women,” adding that many were “on the younger side.” He later sought to distance himself, but court records and sworn testimony complicated that effort. During Ghislaine Maxwell’s trial, flight logs showed Trump had traveled on Epstein’s jet multiple times, contradicting his public denials.

Further scrutiny stems from a lawsuit filed by a woman using the pseudonym Katie Johnson, who alleged she was raped by Trump at an Epstein residence when she was 13. The case was withdrawn, Trump denied the claims, and no criminal conviction followed, but the allegations remain part of the public record.

The issue escalated when Hillary and Bill Clinton publicly agreed to testify about Epstein in an open congressional hearing. Lawmakers from both parties have since argued that Trump should do the same.

Refusing testimony does not establish guilt, but amid demands for transparency, silence continues to raise questions.