Commerce Secretary Lutnick Admits to Epstein Island Visit, Faces Bipartisan Resignation Demands
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has publicly backtracked on previous assertions that he severed all connections with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein following the billionaire's 2008 conviction for child prostitution offenses. The revelation emerged during a tense Senate Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on February 10, 2026, where Lutnick faced intense scrutiny over his evolving narrative regarding his association with the disgraced financier.
Contradictory Testimony Reveals Island Visit
During the congressional hearing, Lutnick acknowledged visiting Epstein's notorious private island, Little Saint James, in December 2012—a detail that directly contradicts his earlier statements to senators that he had completely cut off contact with Epstein after their initial 2005 meeting. The commerce secretary described the encounter as nothing more than a brief family lunch during a vacation excursion.
"I did have lunch with him as I was on a boat going across on a family vacation," Lutnick testified, emphasizing the presence of his entire family during the hour-long visit. "My wife was with me, as were my four children and nannies. I had another couple—they were there, as well with their children. And we had lunch on the island. That is true, for an hour, and we left with all of my children, with my nannies, and my wife, all together."
Mounting Political Pressure for Resignation
The disclosure has triggered bipartisan demands for Lutnick's immediate resignation from his cabinet position. Lawmakers from both major political parties argue that the commerce secretary deliberately misrepresented the extent of his relationship with Epstein to Congress, the American public, and survivors of Epstein's predatory crimes.
Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), the subcommittee's ranking member, articulated the growing frustration during the hearing: "The issue is not that you engaged in any wrongdoing in connection with Jeffrey Epstein, but that you totally misrepresented the extent of your relationship with him to the Congress, to the American people, and to the survivors of his despicable criminal and predatory acts."
Van Hollen specifically challenged Lutnick about the discrepancy between his public statements and evidence contained within recently released Epstein case files: "You led people to believe that you had cut off all contact with Jeffrey Epstein after the 2005 encounter you and your wife had in his apartment. As I'm sure you know, the Epstein files show a very different record of interaction. Why do the Epstein files show you coordinating a meeting and planning a visit with Jeffrey Epstein on his private island in December of 2012?"
Lutnick's Defense and Characterization of Relationship
Throughout the hearing, Lutnick maintained that his interactions with Epstein were minimal and insignificant, characterizing their association as limited to a handful of emails and only three meetings spanning fourteen years. The commerce secretary insisted that he never developed a close relationship with his former New York neighbor.
"Over the next 14 years, I met him two other times that I can recall. Two times. None for six years. Six years later, I met him. And then a year and a half after that I met him, and never again," Lutnick testified. "Of these millions and millions of documents, there may be 10 emails connecting me with him, probably 10 emails connecting me with him. Over a 14-year period, I did not have any relationship with him. I barely had anything to do with that person."
Lutnick previously described becoming alarmed by Epstein's character during their initial 2005 meeting, citing sexual innuendos Epstein made about a massage table in his Manhattan apartment. Despite this early discomfort, the commerce secretary now acknowledges the subsequent 2012 island visit, though he claims not to recall the specific reason for the encounter.
Political Fallout and Continuing Scrutiny
The controversy stems from Lutnick's appearance on a podcast last year where he claimed to have decided to "never be in the room" with Epstein again after the disturbing 2005 apartment tour with his wife. The release of Epstein case files directly contradicted this assertion, revealing coordination for the 2012 island meeting and prompting renewed congressional investigation.
As bipartisan pressure mounts for Lutnick's resignation, the commerce secretary faces an increasingly precarious political position. The hearing represents just the latest development in the ongoing scrutiny of public figures' connections to Jeffrey Epstein, whose extensive network continues to generate controversy years after his death.
