Lutnick denies close ties to Epstein as lawmakers press him over newly released emails

Feb 10, 2026, 1:57 PM

On Tuesday, U.S. Commerce Department Secretary Howard Lutnick attempted to distance himself from Jeffrey Epstein, stating he "barely had anything to do with" the financier and convicted sex offender amidst calls for his resignation over new revelations about their connections.

In January, the Justice Department released millions of new files related to Epstein, including emails indicating Lutnick apparently visited Epstein’s private Caribbean island for lunch years after he claimed to have severed ties. Lutnick, appointed to his position by Republican President Donald Trump last year, now faces calls from both Democrats and Republicans to resign.

During a Senate hearing, Lutnick contested the accusations, telling lawmakers that the two men had exchanged only about 10 emails and met three times over 14 years. Lutnick stated that a lunch with Epstein occurred solely because he was on a boat near the island. He mentioned that his family was present for the lunch.

"I did not have any relationship with him. I barely had anything to do with that person," Lutnick told a Senate panel during questioning by Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen.

Lutnick is among a group of powerful individuals in politics, business, and entertainment, including Trump, who are facing scrutiny for their ties with Epstein, reflecting the elite circles Epstein occupied. Lutnick is also under pressure due to apparent inconsistencies between the newly released documents and his previous statements about Epstein, who lived next to the former Cantor Fitzgerald CEO in New York at the time.

Lutnick had previously claimed he vowed never to "be in a room" with Epstein following a 2005 incident where the financier showed Lutnick a massage table at his townhouse and made a sexually suggestive remark.

U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick arrives to testify before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies during a hearing to examine a review of broadband deployment funding at the Department of Commerce, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 10, 2026.

However, in addition to the 2012 lunch, the emails revealed that Epstein’s assistant forwarded an invitation from Lutnick to a fundraiser in November 2015 at his financial firm for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Trump defeated Clinton in the 2016 U.S. election.

On Tuesday, Lutnick did not address the apparent contradictions during his testimony, noted by Democratic Senator Adam Schiff in his call for Lutnick to step down, opens new tab.

Republican Representative Tom Massie told CNN on Sunday that Lutnick should "make life easier on the president, frankly, and just resign."

"I know and my wife knows that I have done absolutely nothing wrong in any possible regard," Lutnick said at the hearing.

Lutnick also noted that he had no knowledge of Epstein being interested in meeting his nanny.

The hearing was held a day after Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell refused to answer questions at a deposition before a U.S. House of Representatives panel, according to lawmakers, drawing criticism from Republican and Democratic members of the committee.