Democratic members of the US Congress on Wednesday accused US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick of lying about his relationship with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, following a closed‑door hearing.
“After what we heard (…) in this testimony, I can safely say that Howard Lutnick is a pathological liar,” Democratic Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari told reporters as she left the hearing.
Calls for resignation
Democratic Congressman Suhas Subramanyam called on Lutnick to resign.
“What we heard in the room is unthinkable,” he said. “He avoided answering questions, he was nervous, he was dishonest.”
Lutnick did not stop to make statements to the press after the hearing.
Contradictions over Epstein contacts
His name appears frequently in documents from the Epstein case file released by the US Department of Justice.
In a podcast appearance in October 2025, the commerce secretary had sworn that after meeting Jeffrey Epstein in 2005, he never saw the “disgusting” financier again.
However, he later admitted in February that he had lunch with Epstein in 2012 on Epstein’s private Caribbean island.
“I had lunch with him on the island while I was on a family boat holiday. My wife was with me, as were my four children and their nannies,” he said in mid‑February, insisting that the visit lasted no more than one hour.
He has also said that he had “minimal” contact with Epstein after 2005, noting that at the time the two financiers lived in the same New York neighbourhood.
Democrats highlight inconsistencies
Democratic lawmakers on Wednesday pointed to contradictions in Lutnick’s statements made only weeks apart.
“If you felt uncomfortable whenever this man was present, as we asked you again and again, why did you go to the island?” Subramanyam asked.
“He said he could not remember,” adding that his conduct was “inexplicable”.
Republicans reject claims
The Republican chairman of the congressional committee investigating the Epstein case, James Comer, rejected the Democrats’ accusations, saying that Lutnick was “very cooperative” when questioned about his relationship with Epstein during the hearing.
Epstein island scrutiny
Several public figures have come under scrutiny for visiting the so‑called “Epstein Island” in the US Virgin Islands, where prosecutors say the financier, who died in prison in 2019, sexually exploited minors.
However, the appearance of a person’s name in Epstein‑related documents released by the Justice Department does not a priori mean that they committed any illegal acts.
Source: CNA
