In a stunning revelation during a Senate hearing, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick confessed to having lunch on Jeffrey Epstein’s private island in 2012 alongside his family. The admission, made Tuesday before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee, has ignited fierce calls for his resignation from both Democrats and some Republicans.
Lutnick recounted the incident candidly: ‘I was traveling from St. Barts on a family vacation when we stopped at the island for about an hour for lunch. That’s true.’ He was quick to emphasize, however, that he had no personal ties to the disgraced financier. ‘I had no relationship with that man. Very limited contact,’ he stated firmly.
This comes after Lutnick previously claimed he severed all connections with Epstein back in 2005. Yet, newly released documents from the US Justice Department in January painted a different picture, suggesting ongoing interactions, including business dealings as late as 2014, according to local media reports.
The fallout has been swift and severe. Pressure is mounting on Lutnick to step down, with critics across the political spectrum questioning his judgment and transparency. The Epstein scandal, involving allegations of sex trafficking and the exploitation of minors, continues to cast a long shadow over high-profile figures linked to the late financier.
Epstein’s criminal history is well-documented: he pleaded guilty in 2008 to state charges of procuring a minor for prostitution. Rearrested in July 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges, he died mysteriously in jail on August 10, 2019, before his trial could proceed.
The recent document release stems from President Donald Trump’s signing of the ‘Epstein Files Transparency Act’ on November 19, 2025. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche detailed the massive effort: over three million pages, more than 2,000 videos, and nearly 180,000 photos have been made public, totaling about 3.5 million pages. This exhaustive review involved over 500 lawyers and professionals from multiple agencies, including the FBI, with daily meetings—sometimes twice or more—for roughly 75 days.
As the political storm rages, Lutnick’s future in the administration hangs in the balance, with demands for accountability growing louder by the hour.