Secretary Howard Lutnick is questioned by House lawmakers over his Epstein ties - BERITAJA

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick arrives for a deposition arsenic portion of the House Oversight Committee's investigation of convicted activity offender Jeffrey Epstein, astatine the Capitol successful Washington, connected Wednesday, May 6, 2026. J. Scott Applewhite/AP

J. Scott Applewhite/AP

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick connected Wednesday was grilled by Democrats and members of his ain statement during a closed-door proceeding earlier the House Oversight Committee, complete his narration pinch the convicted activity offender — and his erstwhile neighbour — Jeffrey Epstein.

Despite conflicting statements Lutnick had previously made about the long and quality of his relationship pinch Epstein, who was accused of activity trafficking women and girls, Rep. James Comer, Republican chair of the Oversight Committee described Lutnick's relationship during the proceeding arsenic "forthcoming," while committee Democrats formed the secretary's grounds arsenic evasive.

Speaking to reporters up of the hearing, Comer said Lutnick's inconsistent communicative about whether he'd been connected Epstein's infamous land "wasn't 100% truthful." But, according to committee Democrats who said to reporters aft the closed-door session, Comer yet wished that the Trump appointee had committed nary wrongdoing.

"There's only truthful galore questions you could inquire Howard Lutnick, who had a spot adjacent doorway to Epstein successful New York," Comer told reporters while Democrats questioned Lutnick. The committee chair insisted that the 2 had spoken and interacted connected only 3 occasions complete a decade.

"He's been very forthcoming pinch those interactions," Comer said.

"We're bringing successful immoderate of the richest and about powerful group successful the world. We're doing everything successful our expertise to get answers." he added.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., speaks to reporters connected Wednesday earlier questioning Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick arsenic portion of the panel's investigation of convicted activity offender Jeffrey Epstein, astatine the Capitol successful Washington. J. Scott Applewhite/AP

J. Scott Applewhite/AP

Several democrats emerged from the proceeding outraged by Comer's take, and accused Lutnick of outright lying.

"What we heard was hours of grounds wherever Lutnick was attempting to redefine the meaning of the connection 'I,' " Rep. James Walkinshaw, D-Va., told reporters aft the hearing.

"He claims that erstwhile he said, 'I would ne'er beryllium successful a room again pinch Jeffrey Epstein,' he meant only him and Jeffrey Epstein. Epstein was truthful gross to him that he wasn't consenting to beryllium successful a room pinch him, but he was perfectly OK pinch his woman and family being successful a room pinch Epstein," Walkinshaw said, adding that the proceeding should person been televised truthful that the American nationalist could "see the sweat connected his brow" arsenic Lutnick answered questions.

California Democrat Rep. Ro Khanna called Lutnick's grounds "embarrassing" and described his responses arsenic "contortions and lies."

"Now we cognize why that question and reply was not videotaped," Khanna said. "If Donald Trump had seen the video transcript, he would've fired Howard Lutnick."

Comer, meanwhile, insisted Lutnick would beryllium held accountable for immoderate misstatements he whitethorn person made: "It's a felony to dishonesty to Congress," he said.

James Marsh, an lawyer representing immoderate of Epstein's victims, did not be the proceeding but said successful a connection that while Lutnick's proceeding offers "a measurement towards imaginable clarity," it "does not supply immoderate existent constituent for identifying" alleged perpetrators of Epstein's network. "Past proceedings and depositions person many times grounded to moreover name, fto unsocial clasp accountable, those who carried retired aliases enabled Epstein's crimes," Marsh said.

He added: "Every azygous personnel of his criminal endeavor must yet look the afloat unit of justice; survivors merit much than performative oversight. After being silenced for decades, their courageousness should not beryllium met pinch much disorder aliases governmental rigmarole, but pinch the accountability they person agelong been denied."

The Commerce Department said successful a connection anterior to the proceeding that Lutnick, who volunteered to look the committee's scrutiny, looked guardant to "putting to remainder the inaccurate and baseless claims successful the media."

Lutnick is the highest-ranking personnel of Trump's Cabinet named successful the Epstein files to speak to the House Oversight Committee about the much than 3 cardinal pages of documents and images from criminal investigations into the precocious financier that were released by the Trump administration. Epstein, who died successful a New York situation compartment successful 2019.

Appearing successful the files is not needfully an denotation of criminal wrongdoing.

In Lutnick's case, his sanction appears much than a 100 times successful the files, including successful galore email exchanges straight pinch Epstein. Lutnick has profusely denied having a adjacent narration pinch him, alternatively portraying Epstein arsenic an acquaintance. Lutnick antecedently said that he trim ties pinch Epstein successful 2005, but records successful the Epstein files, arsenic good arsenic his ain consequent testimony, corroborate that the 2 were successful interaction agelong aft that.

In a New York Post podcast interview past year, Lutnick said Epstein gave him and his woman a circuit of his Manhattan townhouse — including his "massage room" which was the tract of alleged rapes and maltreatment — aft they moved successful adjacent doorway successful 2005. Lutnick said they quickly excused themselves and "in the six to 8 steps it takes to get from his location to my house, my woman and I decided that I will ne'er beryllium successful the room pinch that disgusting personification ever again." He added: "So I was ne'er successful the room pinch him socially, for business aliases moreover philanthropy."

The Epstein files show that Lutnick and Epstein went into business together successful 2012: They signed agreements connected the aforesaid time to bargain stakes successful a now-defunct integer advertizing exertion patient called Adfin. Lutnick communicated pinch Epstein done Epstein's adjunct arsenic precocious arsenic 2018.

The files besides propose that Lutnick, his woman and 4 children had luncheon pinch Epstein connected his backstage Caribbean land successful 2012. Lutnick confirmed that successful a February Senate Appropriations committee hearing, telling lawmakers that the luncheon lasted an hour.

"And we near pinch each of my children, pinch my nannies and my woman each together," he said. "We were connected family vacation."

In the aforesaid February hearing, Lutnick downplayed his relation pinch Epstein. He described their interaction arsenic a fistful of emails and telephone calls years apart, adding: "I did not person immoderate narration pinch him. I hardly had thing to do pinch him."

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters successful February that "Secretary Lutnick remains a very important personnel of President Trump's team, and the president afloat supports the secretary."

President Trump's sanction appears thousands of times successful the files, which see an accusation that he sexually assaulted a minor. Trump has denied the allegations.

Lawmakers connected both sides of the aisle have called for Lutnick's resignation, accusing him of mischaracterizing his ties to Epstein. Lutnick has said he has "nothing to hide" regarding that relationship, and agreed successful March to look voluntarily for a closed-door question and reply pinch the House Oversight Committee.

Lutnick is 1 of respective high-profile individuals scheduled to speak to the committee about Epstein successful the coming weeks. They see billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates, who is mentioned successful the files, and erstwhile U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, who was ousted successful April aft facing disapproval complete her handling of them.