Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick acknowledges meetings with Epstein
that contradict previous claims
[February 11, 2026]
By STEPHEN GROVES
WASHINGTON (AP) — Under questioning from Democrats on Tuesday, Commerce
Secretary Howard Lutnick acknowledged that he had met with Jeffrey
Epstein twice after the late financier's 2008 conviction for soliciting
prostitution from a child, reversing Lutnick's previous claim that he
had cut ties with him after 2005.
Lutnick again downplayed his relationship with the disgraced financier,
who was once his neighbor in New York City, as he was questioned by
Democrats during a subcommittee hearing of the Senate Appropriations
Committee. He described their contact as a handful of emails and a pair
of meetings that were years apart.
“I did not have any relationship with him. I barely had anything to do
with him,” Lutnick told lawmakers.
But Lutnick is facing growing scrutiny, including calls for his
resignation, from lawmakers after the release of case files on Epstein
contradicted Lutnick's claims on a podcast last year that he had decided
to “never be in the room” with Epstein again after a 2005 tour of
Epstein's home that disturbed Lutnick and his wife.
The commerce secretary told senators Tuesday that he and his family
actually had lunch with Epstein on his private island in 2012 and he had
another hour-long engagement at Epstein's home in 2011. Lutnick, a
member of President Donald Trump's Cabinet, is the highest-profile U.S.
official to face bipartisan calls for his resignation amid revelations
of his ties to Epstein. His acknowledgement comes as lawmakers are
grasping for what accountability looks like amid the revelations
contained in what's known as the Epstein files.
In countries like the United Kingdom, the Epstein files have triggered
resignations and the stripping of royal privileges, but so far, U.S.
officials have not met the same level of retribution.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday that Lutnick
“remains a very important member of President Trump's team, and the
president fully supports the secretary.”
Senators want to dig into Lutnick's ties to Epstein
Sen. Chris Van Hollen, the Democrat who questioned Lutnick, told him,
“There's not an indication that you yourself engaged in any wrongdoing
with Jeffrey Epstein. It's the fact that you believe that you misled the
country and the Congress based on your earlier statements.”
Van Hollen, D-Md., stopped short of calling for Lutnick's resignation on
Monday, but requested documentation from Lutnick on any of his ties to
Epstein.
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Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick listens during an event with
President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House,
Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
“It's absolutely essential that he provide Congress with those
documents, given the misrepresentations he's made, and then we'll go
from there,” he said.
Lutnick, during the Senate hearing, said he would give that request
some thought, adding, “I have nothing to hide.”
However, several Senate Republicans were also questioning Lutnick's
relationship with Epstein. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., said the
visit to Epstein's private island “would raise questions.” And Sen.
Thom Tillis, R-N.C., told reporters, “It's something I'm concerned
with.”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune did not mention Lutnick by name,
but told reporters Tuesday that those mentioned in the Epstein files
are “going to have to answer questions around that.”
“I think the American people are going to have to make judgments
about whether or not they think those answers are sufficient,” added
Thune, a South Dakota Republican.
Tillis also stayed away from calling for Lutnick to leave his post,
but added that “he would do himself a service by just laying out
exactly what did and what did not happen over the course of what
seems to be an interesting relationship that included business
entanglements.”
A pair of House members call for resignation
Meanwhile, House members who initiated the legislative effort to
force the release of the files are calling for Lutnick to resign.
Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky called for that over the
weekend after emails were released that alluded to the meetings
between Lutnick and Epstein.
Rep. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, joined Massie in pressuring
Lutnick out of office on Monday.
“Based on the evidence, he should be out of the Cabinet,” Khanna
said.
He added, “It's not about any particular person. In this country, we
have to make a decision. Are we going to allow the rich and powerful
people who are friends and (had) no problem doing business and
showing up with a pedophile who is raping underage girls, are we
just going to allow them to skate?”
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