Commerce Secretary Lutnick to Face House Questions on Epstein Ties After Admitting Island Visit

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is scheduled to appear before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on May 6 for questioning about his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The voluntary interview comes after Lutnick admitted during Senate testimony in February that he, his family, and their nannies had lunch with Epstein on the financier's private Caribbean island in December 2012 -- more than four years after Epstein served jail time for soliciting an underage girl for prostitution.

That admission directly contradicts Lutnick's earlier claims that he severed contact with Epstein, who was his New York neighbor, back in 2005. Department of Justice files on Epstein reveal that Lutnick maintained contact with the sex trafficker for years beyond that date.

The timeline raises obvious questions: What did Lutnick know about Epstein's crimes when he brought his family to the island? Why did he continue associating with a convicted sex offender? And why did he initially misrepresent when that relationship ended?

Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer announced in March that Lutnick had agreed to the interview but did not specify a date at the time. The Commerce Department has not responded to requests for comment about the scheduled appearance.

Lutnick is far from the only powerful figure facing scrutiny over Epstein connections. Former President Bill Clinton testified to the committee on February 28 after being subpoenaed, insisting "I saw nothing and I did nothing wrong" during his time flying and socializing with Epstein. Clinton claimed he "had no idea of the crimes Epstein was committing" at the time.

The committee has also requested voluntary interviews with Microsoft founder Bill Gates, Goldman Sachs general counsel Kathryn Ruemmler, and billionaires Leon Black and Ted Waitt -- all of whom had documented relationships with Epstein.

The Oversight panel issued a subpoena on March 17 compelling then-Attorney General Pam Bondi to sit for a deposition on April 14. President Trump fired Bondi days later on Thursday, raising questions about whether her Epstein testimony played any role in her dismissal.

The House investigation represents one of the few ongoing efforts to hold Epstein's powerful enablers accountable. Epstein died in federal custody in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. His associate Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted in 2021 of recruiting and grooming underage girls for abuse.

But the full scope of Epstein's network -- and who knew what, when -- remains murky. Survivors and advocates have spent years demanding transparency about the wealthy and connected men who socialized with Epstein even after his 2008 conviction made his predatory behavior a matter of public record.

Lutnick's island visit in 2012 falls squarely into that category. Epstein had already served time. The crimes were known. Yet Lutnick brought his family anyway.

The May 6 interview offers an opportunity for Lutnick to explain that decision under oath. Whether he provides satisfying answers is another matter entirely.