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Trump says he’s ‘not happy’ to see Bill Clinton deposed over Epstein files - The Hill

2/27/2026, 8:00:52 PM

A wide-ranging day of headlines frames Trump pressing hard on Iran while responding to renewed focus on Epstein-related legal battles and shifting to high-visibility domestic projects. President Donald Trump’s comments on Iran span dissatisfaction with talks and rhetoric suggesting military action remains on the table, even as he says he’ll wait for further negotiating rounds. In parallel, Trump weighed in on Bill Clinton being deposed over Epstein files as the BBC spotlights accusations that DOJ is withholding Trump-related Epstein material. The day’s domestic headlines point to an effort to keep forward momentum on marquee initiatives, from a White House roundtable on college athletics to a judge clearing a Trump-backed White House ballroom project to proceed.

A wide-ranging day of headlines frames Trump pressing hard on Iran while responding to renewed focus on Epstein-related legal battles and shifting to high-visibility domestic projects.

President Donald Trump’s comments on Iran span dissatisfaction with talks and rhetoric suggesting military action remains on the table, even as he says he’ll wait for further negotiating rounds. In parallel, Trump weighed in on Bill Clinton being deposed over Epstein files as the BBC spotlights accusations that DOJ is withholding Trump-related Epstein material. The day’s domestic headlines point to an effort to keep forward momentum on marquee initiatives, from a White House roundtable on college athletics to a judge clearing a Trump-backed White House ballroom project to proceed.

Key points

Trump says he’s “not happy” with Iran talks but will wait to see what happens in further rounds (PBS).
Trump says he’d “love not to” attack Iran, “but sometimes you have to,” underscoring a coercive posture alongside diplomacy (CNBC).
Trump says he’s “not happy” to see Bill Clinton deposed over Epstein files, keeping the Epstein matter in the political spotlight (The Hill).
BBC outlines the Trump-related Epstein files the DOJ is accused of withholding, adding pressure and public scrutiny around disclosure (BBC).
Trump touched on Clinton/Epstein, Iran tensions, and Cuba in a wide-ranging gaggle, signaling a broad messaging push (NBC News).
Trump is set to host a White House roundtable on the future of college athletics, pointing to a domestic policy/agenda lane amid foreign-policy drama (CBS Sports).

Why it matters

Iran messaging that mixes continued talks with explicit threats can raise stakes quickly, shaping both negotiation dynamics and expectations for escalation (PBS, CNBC, ACLED).
Epstein-related headlines remain a politically volatile legal narrative, now intersecting with claims about DOJ withholding Trump-related files and a Clinton deposition (The Hill, BBC).
Separate domestic moves—college athletics convening and a court greenlight for a White House ballroom—suggest an attempt to project governing momentum alongside controversy (CBS Sports, Fox Business).

What to watch

Whether “further rounds” of Iran talks produce any visible shift in Trump’s public tone or policy posture (PBS, CNBC).
How the DOJ-withholding accusations around Trump-related Epstein files develop and whether additional legal or political steps follow (BBC).
What outcomes, if any, emerge from the White House roundtable on college athletics—and whether it signals next actions (CBS Sports).

Briefing

Trump’s headlines Friday formed a familiar triad: high-stakes foreign policy, lingering legal-political fallout, and a separate push to keep domestic initiatives moving.

On Iran, Trump delivered a dual-track message. He said he’s “not happy” with the talks but will wait to see what happens in additional rounds, while also suggesting force remains possible—saying he’d “love not to” attack Iran, “but sometimes you have to.” The combination reads as patience in process paired with pressure in posture.

ACLED’s Q&A framing that the U.S. and Iran are back on the edge of war adds context to how quickly rhetoric can become a driver of expectations, even when diplomacy is still formally underway. What remains uncertain from the headlines alone is whether the sharper language is meant primarily for leverage at the table, or as signaling for a more direct path.

The Epstein story resurfaced in multiple ways. Trump said he’s “not happy” to see Bill Clinton deposed over Epstein files, keeping the matter tied to major political figures. Separately, the BBC highlighted the Trump-related Epstein files the DOJ is accused of withholding—an angle that shifts attention toward disclosure disputes rather than just personalities.

NBC described a wide-ranging gaggle that linked Clinton and Epstein to Iran tensions and Cuba, suggesting Trump is intentionally stitching multiple storylines into a single day’s message. The open question is how much that broader sweep clarifies policy versus amplifies conflict.

Meanwhile, domestic agenda items moved in the background but with clear signaling value. CBS Sports reported Trump will host a White House roundtable on the future of college athletics, a convening that positions the White House as a venue for a contentious national issue.

And Fox Business reported a federal judge allowed Trump’s $400M White House ballroom to move forward—another example of a high-profile project advancing even as the day’s dominant headlines were driven by Iran and Epstein-related developments.

Sources