U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has confirmed he visited Jeffrey Epstein's island in 2012, contradicting previous claims that he had cut ties with the sex offender years earlier, before he was convicted.
I did have lunch with him as I was on a boat going across on a family vacation, Lutnick testified on Capitol Hill on Tuesday. My wife was with me, as were my four children and nannies … We had lunch on the island. That is true. For an hour.
Correspondence about the visit was included in Epstein documents released by the U.S. Department of Justice. Some lawmakers have called on Lutnick to resign, but on Tuesday the White House stated he had the full support of President Donald Trump.
The commerce secretary had previously stated in Congress that he severed ties with Epstein in 2005 after Epstein used sexual innuendo to justify owning a massage table in his home. Later, he testified about having met Epstein only two other times over a 14-year period.
Justice Department files reveal Lutnick visited Epstein's Caribbean island on December 23, 2012, four years after Epstein's conviction for soliciting prostitution from a child. Lutnick admitted it was the first public confirmation of that visit.
I don't recall why we did it, but we did it, Lutnick said about the lunch. He has faced bipartisan criticism, including calls for his resignation from Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna and Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, both involved in legislation regarding Epstein's case.
As Lutnick testified, survivors of Epstein's abuse announced 'Virginia's Law' on Capitol Hill, aimed at removing the time limit for civil claims related to sexual abuse.
Lutnick, currently unaccused of any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein, noted multiple emails connecting him with Epstein found in over 3.5 million pages of documents released by the Justice Department.
Many are questioning Lutnick's integrity, with Senator Chris Van Hollen highlighting the discrepancy in Lutnick's accounts to Congress and the public, emphasizing the importance of accountability for survivors of Epstein's actions.
