US 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 US 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 told Congress that he cut ties with Epstein in 2005 after the late financier - a neighbor of Lutnick's in New York - used sexual innuendo to explain why he owned a massage table in a room of his home. In Tuesday's testimony, he said: Over the next 14 years, I met him two other times that I can recall. The justice department files show Lutnick visited Epstein's Caribbean island on 23 December 2012, four years after Epstein was convicted for soliciting prostitution from a child. Lutnick's testimony marked the first time he publicly confirmed this visit.
I don't recall why we did it, but we did it, he said Tuesday, referring to the lunch. Lutnick has not been accused of any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein. Calls for his resignation have emerged from both sides of the political aisle in light of the conflicting accounts. Senator Chris Van Hollen challenged Lutnick in the hearing, emphasizing the importance of transparency regarding his relationship with Epstein. The situation highlights ongoing concerns surrounding Epstein’s connections to high-profile individuals, with significant pressure for further disclosures from the justice department.
The commerce secretary had previously told Congress that he cut ties with Epstein in 2005 after the late financier - a neighbor of Lutnick's in New York - used sexual innuendo to explain why he owned a massage table in a room of his home. In Tuesday's testimony, he said: Over the next 14 years, I met him two other times that I can recall. The justice department files show Lutnick visited Epstein's Caribbean island on 23 December 2012, four years after Epstein was convicted for soliciting prostitution from a child. Lutnick's testimony marked the first time he publicly confirmed this visit.
I don't recall why we did it, but we did it, he said Tuesday, referring to the lunch. Lutnick has not been accused of any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein. Calls for his resignation have emerged from both sides of the political aisle in light of the conflicting accounts. Senator Chris Van Hollen challenged Lutnick in the hearing, emphasizing the importance of transparency regarding his relationship with Epstein. The situation highlights ongoing concerns surrounding Epstein’s connections to high-profile individuals, with significant pressure for further disclosures from the justice department.
