Epstein Questions Loom as US Commerce Secretary Heads to Congress

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick agrees to testify in the explosive House Oversight probe into Jeffrey Epstein ties amid mounting resignation pressure.

sarah

Mar 4, 2026 - 10:42

Epstein Questions Loom as US Commerce Secretary Heads to Congress

US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has agreed to testify before the congressional panel investigating the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Chairman James Comer said Tuesday that Lutnick "has voluntarily agreed to appear for a transcribed interview as part of the House Oversight Committee's investigation."

Lutnick has admitted visiting Epstein's private island in 2012, several years after the financier was convicted of sex crimes. Epstein's victims have not accused the Commerce Secretary of any wrongdoing.

This announcement comes just days after former US President Bill Clinton and his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, both testified in the investigation.

Read Also

Epstein Bombshell: MoD Probes RAF Base Claims

The Commerce Secretary, considered the architect of Trump's global tariff policy, previously told Congress that he had ended his relationship with Epstein in 2005 after Lutnick's pedophile neighbor in New York used sexual innuendo to explain why he had a massage table in a room in his home. But earlier this month, he confirmed visiting Epstein's island during a family vacation in the Caribbean. Details of this visit were included in millions of documents released by the US Justice Department related to the Epstein investigation.

Lutnick is one of the high-profile individuals named in more than 3.5 million documents legally released by the Justice Department.

The revelation that Lutnick visited Epstein's island after he had said he had ended contact with him led to calls from both parties in the Trump administration for the Commerce Secretary to resign.

No date has been publicly shared for Lutnick's testimony.

Comer, a Republican from Kentucky, said, "I commend his demonstrated commitment to transparency and his willingness to engage with the committee." Files released by the Justice Department show that Lutnick visited Epstein's Caribbean island on December 23, 2012.

Software Services

Start your own gaming platform for just $3,000

In an email the day before the visit, Lutnick's wife, Alison, wrote to Epstein's assistant: "We look forward to meeting you," and, "We would love to have lunch with you."

This planned testimony comes after statements last week by the Clintons, who both testified that they had no prior knowledge of Epstein's crimes and had severed all ties with him before his 2008 conviction in Florida.

Although Epstein's victims have not accused the Clintons of any wrongdoing, Bill Clinton's name is included in investigative files related to the sexual predator, including photographs. His inclusion has fueled calls for the couple to testify.

Following the announcement of Lutnick's planned testimony, Comer asked seven more individuals to appear before the committee for interviews, including Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates, Clinton's former top aide Doug Band, and former White House counsel Katherine Rumler.

Thank you for reading this content.