US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick appeared before the House oversight committee on Wednesday to answer questions about his past ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The voluntary, closed-door interview saw Lutnick respond to nearly 400 questions, according to a commerce department spokesperson.
Democrats on the committee sharply criticised Lutnick’s testimony, with Congressman Ro Khanna accusing him of “contortions and lies” and calling for his resignation. Virginia Democrat Suhas Subramanyam described Lutnick as “evasive, nervous and dishonest”.
Republican committee chair James Comer defended Lutnick, saying he was “very transparent” and had corrected previous statements. Comer noted that Lutnick appeared voluntarily and that the committee asked “very substantive questions”.
The hearing was triggered by the release of documents showing Lutnick contacted Epstein after his 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor, contradicting Lutnick’s earlier claim that he cut ties in 2005. Lutnick acknowledged visiting Epstein’s private island in 2012 with his wife, children and nannies for lunch.
The White House has expressed full support for Lutnick, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt describing him as “a very important member” of President Trump’s team. A transcript of the interview is to be released at a later date.
