Lutnick Admits Island Lunch With Epstein, Contradicting Denial
Lutnick Admits Island Lunch With Epstein, Contradicting Denial
Emails reveal Lutnick dined with Epstein on Little St. James during a 2012 family vacation, contradicting his earlier claim of cutting ties as he testifies before Congress.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick testified before the Senate Appropriations Committee on February 10. He had previously said in an interview that after a single encounter with Jeffrey Epstein he would never be in the room with that disgusting person ever again. That point now sits beside a new set of emails suggesting a more complex relationship.
Emails released by the DOJ show Lutnick and his family dined with Epstein at his home on Little St. James in 2012 during a vacation. The gathering included Lutnick’s wife, their four children, their nannies, and another couple’s children. The island visit occurred after Epstein had already been convicted of procuring a child for prostitution and of soliciting a prostitute, underscoring the controversy around personal associations with Epstein.
Lutnick described the lunch to the committee as a brief moment during a family trip: "I did have lunch with him as I was on a boat going across on a family vacation. My wife was with me as were my four children and nannies. I had another couple with their children. And we had lunch on the island. That is true. For an hour. And we left with all of my children." He reiterated that he did not have a relationship with Epstein, stating, "I barely had anything to do with that person."
The DOJ emails appear to present a different characterization than Lutnick offered publicly last year, raising questions about how closely personal interactions with Epstein are described by high-profile figures. The episode unfolds as lawmakers scrutinize the boundaries between political appointees and individuals linked to Epstein, with the hearing continuing to probe transparency and accountability.
