Headline: U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick Admits to 2012 Family Lunch on Epstein Island, Denies Relationship
Deep Search Analysis
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has confirmed a 2012 visit to Jeffrey Epstein’s private island, Little St. James, contradicting his previous assertions of having cut ties with the disgraced financier. During a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on Tuesday, Lutnick admitted that he, his wife, children, and nannies visited the island for a “one-hour” lunch while on a family boat vacation in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
This admission presents a significant conflict with Lutnick’s earlier narrative. He has repeatedly stated he severed all contact with Epstein after a 2005 visit to Epstein’s Manhattan townhouse left him feeling disgusted. However, newly released Department of Justice documents and emails reveal a more complex timeline. Not only did the island visit occur four years after Epstein’s 2008 state conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor, but records also indicate the two men co-invested in an advertising technology company, Adfin, in late 2012—the same month as the island lunch. Further correspondence shows Lutnick later sought Epstein’s advice regarding a property dispute with the Frick Collection and invited him to a Hillary Clinton fundraiser in 2015.
Objections and Skepticism
Lutnick’s “family vacation” explanation has been met with immediate skepticism and bipartisan backlash. Lawmakers and ethics watchdogs argue that a casual lunch with a known sex offender—years after his public conviction—is incompatible with the judgment required for a high-ranking cabinet official.
Critics point out that Lutnick’s defense of having “zero relationship” is difficult to reconcile with the written evidence of business deals and friendly emails. Republican Representative Thomas Massie has already called for Lutnick’s resignation, suggesting that the Commerce Secretary’s evolving story undermines public trust. The primary objection remains: if Lutnick truly found Epstein “gross” and cut ties in 2005 as claimed, why would he bring his children to Epstein’s private residence seven years later?
Background Information
Little St. James, often referred to as “Epstein Island,” was the primary residence of financier Jeffrey Epstein and a central location in the federal sex trafficking charges brought against him before his death in 2019. The island has since become a symbol of the abuse network Epstein operated.
Lutnick and Epstein were neighbors on Manhattan’s Upper East Side for nearly two decades. While Lutnick maintains their interactions were merely incidental due to proximity, the 2012 visit occurred during a period when Epstein was a registered sex offender. The visit was brought to light following a recent release of redacted files by the Department of Justice, which included flight logs and communication records that forced the Commerce Secretary to address the specific nature of his interactions with Epstein under oath.
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