(Bloomberg) — Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick downplayed his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein on Tuesday, although he acknowledged visiting the financier on his private island in 2012, after Epstein had already been convicted of sex crimes.
Lutnick, speaking to a Senate panel, described going to Epstein’s island after being asked at Tuesday’s hearing about Justice Department documents that showed he had planned a visit.
“I had lunch with him as I was on a boat crossing on a family vacation; my wife was with me, as were my four children and nannies,” Lutnick told a Senate Appropriations subcommittee.
Take advantage of the stock market rise!
Lutnick added: “The only thing I saw with my wife, my children, the other couple and their children was the team that worked for Mr. Epstein on that island.”
Justice Department documents released in recent weeks indicate that Lutnick previously mischaracterized the extent of his relationship with Epstein.
In an interview with the Pod Force One podcast last year, Lutnick described moving into a house next door to Epstein’s in 2005 and being so disturbed by him that he and his wife agreed never to be in a room with him again. “So I was never in the same room as him, socially for business or even philanthropy,” he said.
Continues after advertising
Justice Department documents also indicate that Lutnick and Epstein — who were neighbors in Manhattan — continued to exchange messages until 2018.
Still, Lutnick told the Senate panel, “I had no relationship with him.”
Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon expressed doubts about Lutnick’s account.
“The reason people are upset is because last year you said you cut off all contact, but there have been eight incidents of interactions” since then, Merkley said. “In 2012, you were planning a private island trip with your family. That sounds like someone you know well enough to call and say, ‘Let’s get our families together.'”
Some lawmakers have called for Lutnick’s resignation over his ties to Epstein. The White House rejected those claims on Monday.
“President Trump has assembled the best and most transformative Cabinet in modern history. The entire Trump administration, including Secretary Lutnick and the Department of Commerce, remains focused on delivering results for the American people,” said White House spokesman Kush Desai.
Continues after advertising
© 2026 Bloomberg L.P.
