GOP Chair Calls Out Commerce Secretary Lutnick for Lying About Epstein Ties

Howard Lutnick, the Commerce Secretary and the highest-ranking Trump official named in the Epstein files after Trump himself, is under fire for misleading Congress about his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. On Wednesday, Lutnick testified behind closed doors before the House Oversight Committee, marking a rare moment where a sitting Cabinet member faces direct congressional questioning over Epstein-related matters.

Republican Chair James Comer did not mince words, telling reporters that Lutnick’s claims about severing ties with Epstein in 2005 were contradicted by emails and documented interactions stretching well into the next decade. Lutnick’s 2012 visit to Epstein’s notorious Caribbean island, accompanied by his wife, children, and nannies, had been downplayed or denied in earlier statements. Comer acknowledged Lutnick’s failure to be fully forthcoming but left judgment to the public.

The newly surfaced emails reveal Lutnick and Epstein communicated as late as 2018, including collaborating on a business venture in 2013 and exchanging messages about neighborhood issues. This stands in stark contrast to Lutnick’s 2025 podcast claim that he cut off Epstein after an uncomfortable 2005 encounter involving a massage table and inappropriate comments.

Lutnick’s Senate testimony earlier this year admitted to the island lunch but insisted there was no ongoing relationship, calling his connection to Epstein “barely anything.” Yet the volume and timeline of communications suggest otherwise.

While the White House continues to back Lutnick, the episode keeps the Epstein scandal alive within the Trump administration’s orbit. The Republican-led committee is also poised to question former Attorney General Pam Bondi about her controversial role in the release of Epstein files.

Lutnick’s voluntary, closed-door interview will produce a transcript but no video, following committee precedent. His appearance underscores that the Epstein saga remains a political liability, exposing the depths of elite complicity and the persistent struggle for transparency.

This is not just another Epstein story. It’s a glaring example of how powerful figures tied to Trump continue to evade full accountability — and why we need relentless scrutiny to cut through the lies.