Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick acknowledged visiting Jeffrey Epstein’s private island in 2012, confirming reports that surfaced following the release of Justice Department files detailing associations with the convicted sex offender. Lutnick disclosed the visit during a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, stating he was accompanied by his family, nannies, and wife during a Caribbean vacation.
The admission came as Lutnick faces increasing scrutiny over the extent of his relationship with Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Recent document releases have prompted calls, primarily from Democrats, for Lutnick to resign from his Cabinet position. Senator Chris Van Hollen, the ranking member of the subcommittee, stated that the issue was not whether Lutnick engaged in wrongdoing, but rather whether he misrepresented the nature of his relationship with Epstein to Congress and the public.
Lutnick maintained that he did not have a “personal relationship” with Epstein, and characterized his interactions as limited. He stated he had not associated with Epstein after 2005, following a tour of Epstein’s New York home that left him with a negative impression. However, records indicate further contact, including a 2018 email exchange regarding a potential obstruction of views from the Frick Collection, a museum near both men’s Manhattan townhouses. In that exchange, Lutnick sought Epstein’s assistance with the matter.
The Commerce Secretary also confirmed a prior meeting with Epstein, separate from the island visit, but did not provide specific details. He defended the 2012 trip, stating that he and his family had lunch on the island for an hour before departing. Lutnick has not been accused of any criminal wrongdoing in connection with Epstein.
According to NPR reporting, Lutnick previously led Cantor Fitzgerald as chairman and CEO. The White House has so far publicly supported Lutnick, despite the renewed attention to his ties with Epstein. A CNN review of the Epstein files revealed multiple interactions between the two men, including an invitation to a Hillary Clinton fundraiser in 2015, a $50,000 donation from Epstein to an event honoring Lutnick in 2017, and a joint business venture in 2013.
Lutnick’s acknowledgment of the island visit followed a statement last year in which he said he “was never in the room” with Epstein other than a 2005 visit to his apartment. The Justice Department’s recent release of Epstein-related documents has intensified scrutiny of individuals who had contact with him, and Lutnick is the highest-ranking Trump administration official prominently named in the files outside of former President Trump himself.
No further hearings or investigations have been scheduled as of February 17, 2026.
