White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt abruptly ended a briefing on Tuesday after a reporter questioned Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick's ties to Jeffrey Epstein. The query came hours after Lutnick admitted to visiting Epstein's private island, Little Saint James, during a Senate committee hearing.
Leavitt, about 20 minutes into the briefing, responded to the question by stating that President Donald Trump “fully supports” Lutnick, describing him as “a very important member of President Trump's team.” She then launched into a monologue criticising reporters for not asking about administration achievements, citing stock market results and crime reduction statistics.
“I will just point out that there are a lot of wins in the news this week that people in this room have not asked about,” Leavitt said before listing several topics. She concluded by saying the president was busy and walked out with aides.
Leavitt also addressed a document alleging Trump spoke to a Florida police chief about Epstein in 2006, claiming Trump has always been “honest and transparent” about his relationship with Epstein, though she did not confirm the call.
Lutnick, a longtime Trump friend, had previously told the New York Post he cut ties with Epstein after a 2005 encounter. However, Justice Department documents revealed he maintained contact until 2018 and visited Epstein's island in 2012. Under questioning, Lutnick admitted to the visit, saying he had lunch there with his family.
