Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick appeared before a House committee on Wednesday to answer questions about his interactions with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as lawmakers seek clarity on his evolving account of their relationship.
Lutnick, a member of President Donald Trump's Cabinet, is the latest high-profile figure to testify before the House Oversight Committee. He has previously offered conflicting statements about his ties to Epstein, but maintains he did nothing wrong and voluntarily agreed to the closed-door interview.
Scrutiny of Powerful Figures
The transcribed interview represents a test of how rigorously lawmakers will examine powerful individuals who associated with Epstein after his 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor. The Trump administration has struggled for over a year to move past the issue.
“I’ve been on the Oversight Committee 10 years, and there’s never been a chairman bring in Cabinet secretaries of their own party,” said committee chair Representative James Comer, a Republican from Kentucky, before the interview. “Our goal is to provide justice for the victims and hopefully today will be helpful.”
Lutnick is the highest-ranking administration official, aside from Trump, named in the Epstein case files. The president has consistently denied knowledge of Epstein’s crimes and stated he ended their relationship years ago.
Several Democrats have called for Lutnick’s resignation. A few Republicans, including Representative Nancy Mace of South Carolina, have insisted he testify before the committee.
Contradictory Statements
Lutnick has downplayed his connection to Epstein, once a neighbor in New York City. During an unrelated hearing earlier this year, under Democratic questioning, he described their contact as a handful of emails and two meetings in 2011 and 2012.
However, that admission contradicted his earlier claim on a podcast last year that he decided to “never be in the room” with Epstein after a disturbing 2005 tour of Epstein’s home with his wife.
In 2008, Epstein pleaded guilty in Florida to state sex offense charges, including soliciting prostitution from an underage girl.
“I did not have any relationship with him. I barely had anything to do with him,” Lutnick told senators in February during a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing.
Yet records show Lutnick had an hourlong engagement at Epstein’s home in 2011, and his family visited Epstein’s private island in 2012 for lunch. Federal case files also reveal continued email contact. In 2018, Lutnick emailed Epstein about a proposed museum expansion that would block their neighborhood views. Epstein donated $50,000 to a 2017 dinner honoring Lutnick, while Lutnick invited Epstein to a 2015 fundraiser for Hillary Clinton. In 2013, they both invested in the same business venture.
“I haven't seen wrongdoing in the email correspondence, but he wasn't 100% truthful with whether or not he had been on the island,” Comer said. He added that the committee plans to release the transcript later and “let the American people judge whether the credibility was damaged or not.”
The interview was not video-recorded, unlike depositions for others such as former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Comer said this decision aligns with committee practice, as Lutnick volunteered.
White House Support
The White House continues to back Lutnick, a prominent advocate of Trump’s tariff strategy. He has been close to Trump for years and helped raise funds for his 2020 and 2024 campaigns.
The committee is also scheduled to hear testimony on May 29 from Pam Bondi, who was ousted as attorney general last month.
Epstein died in a New York jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
