Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Tuesday was grilled on Capitol Hill about his previous affiliation with Jeffrey Epstein, following revelations that the 2 males remained in touch years after Lutnick instructed he had distanced himself from the convicted intercourse offender.
Lutnick strongly denied any wrongdoing, however one Democrat mentioned he had “completely misrepresented” the extent of their relationship “to the Congress, to the American individuals and to the survivors of his despicable prison and predatory acts.”
Showing earlier than a Senate Appropriations subcommittee, Lutnick was requested repeatedly about his correspondence with Epstein detailed in information just lately launched by the Justice Division, and President Donald Trump’s commerce secretary revealed he visited Epstein’s Caribbean island in 2012 along with his household and others.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick testifies earlier than the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Associated Companies listening to on Capitol Hill in Washington, February 10, 2026.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Photographs
“I did have lunch with him, as I used to be on a ship going throughout on a household trip. My spouse was with me, as had been my 4 youngsters and nannies,” Lutnick testified beneath questioning by Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland.
Lutnick informed Van Hollen that one other couple and their youngsters had been with them through the go to.
“We had lunch on the island, that’s true, for an hour, and we left with all of my youngsters, with my nannies and my spouse all collectively,” he mentioned.
When requested if he noticed something inappropriate throughout his go to, Lutnick responded, “The one factor I noticed with my spouse and my youngsters and the opposite couple and their youngsters was employees who labored for Mr. Epstein on that island.”
Lutnick, who lived subsequent door to Epstein for over a decade, beforehand instructed he had distanced himself from Epstein again within the mid-2000s previous to Epstein’s conviction in 2008.
“So, I used to be by no means within the room with him socially, for enterprise and even philanthropy. If that man was there, I wasn’t going as a result of he is gross,” Lutnick mentioned on the “Pod Force One” podcast back in October.
“That is my story. A one and completely accomplished,” Lutnick mentioned.
A spokesperson for the Division of Commerce informed ABC Information on Monday, “Mr. and Mrs. Lutnick met Jeffrey Epstein in 2005 and had very restricted interactions with him over the following 14 years.”
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick testifies earlier than the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Associated Companies listening to on Capitol Hill in Washington, February 10, 2026.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Photographs
Nonetheless, the paperwork launched over every week in the past confirmed one e-mail from Epstein’s schedule for Could 1, 2011, displaying plans for drinks with Lutnick.
Authorized paperwork additionally confirmed each Lutnick and Epstein invested in the identical enterprise in 2012.
Lutnick testified that he didn’t have lunch with Epstein in 2011. He additionally testified that he had no thought about an e-mail from the paperwork that mentioned Epstein had expressed curiosity in assembly his nanny.
“I had no thought what that was about. Had nothing to do with me,” he testified.
Van Hollen questioned why Lutnick would make the go to although Epstein had already been convicted.
“You made a really large level of claiming that you just sensed that this was a foul individual in 2005 after which, in fact, in 2008, he was convicted of soliciting prostitution of a minor and but, you went and had this journey and different interactions,” the senator mentioned.
Lutnick informed the committee that he had “nothing to cover, completely nothing,” and would converse to the committee about sharing his personal information as they relate to Jeffrey Epstein.
“I’ve accomplished completely nothing improper,” he testified.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick arrives to testify earlier than the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Associated Companies listening to on Capitol Hill in Washington, February 10, 2026.
Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters
Democratic Sen. Chris Coons additionally criticized Lutnick.
“It troubles me that you just took your loved ones to lunch on his island, that you just had appointments with him. Please disclose all the things. Put this to relaxation, as a result of this is a matter of grave concern to my constituents,” Coons informed Lutnick. “President Trump ran on releasing the Epstein information.”
Lutnick once more maintained he had restricted interactions with Epstein.
“I didn’t have something you could possibly name a relationship, something you could possibly name an acquaintance,” he informed Coons
The White Home has defended Lutnick, following the discharge of the brand new Epstein information.
“All the Trump administration, together with Secretary Lutnick and the Division of Commerce, stays targeted on delivering for the American individuals,” White Home spokesman Kush Desai mentioned in an announcement Monday.
White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt echoed these statements on Tuesday when requested about Lutnick’s feedback earlier within the day.
“Secretary Lutnick stays an important member of President Trump’s crew, and the president absolutely helps the secretary,” she mentioned earlier than altering the subject and discussing the administration’s newest “wins within the information,” citing report inventory market good points.
A number of Democratic lawmakers, nevertheless, have referred to as on Lutnick to resign due to his look within the information.
“It is now clear that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has been mendacity about his relationship with Epstein. He mentioned he had no interactions with Epstein after 2005, but we now know they had been in enterprise collectively. Lutnick should resign or be fired,” Rep. Robert Garcia, the rating Democrat on the Home Oversight Committee, mentioned in an X publish Sunday.
Republican Rep. Thomas Massie additionally referred to as for Lutnick to resign.
“So, he is obtained quite a bit to reply for. However actually, he ought to make life simpler on the president, frankly, and simply resign,” Massie informed CNN Sunday.
Lutnick didn’t reply to questions from ABC Information previous to the listening to about these requires him to step down.
Secretary Howard Lutnick arrives to testify earlier than the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Associated Companies listening to on Capitol Hill in Washington, February 10, 2026.
Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters
Home Speaker Mike Johnson voiced confidence in Lutnick, telling reporters Tuesday that bipartisan requires his resignation are “absurd.”
“Howard Lutnick is a superb commerce secretary who’s accomplished a unprecedented job for the nation, and Thomas Massie ought to cease taking part in political video games,” he mentioned.
Reporters pressed the speaker on whether or not he harbors any considerations about Lutnick given his ties to Epstein.
“I do not know something about that. I do know Howard as a person, and I belief his phrase on it,” Johnson mentioned.
