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By Jenna Sundel and Gabe Whisnant
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Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has agreed to sit for a voluntary, closed-door interview with the House Oversight Committee about past interactions with Jeffrey Epstein, Chairman James Comer, a Kentucky Republican, said Tuesday.
Why It Matters
The interview, expected in the coming weeks, comes as lawmakers—particularly Democrats—press for more information following Lutnick’s appearance in Justice Department files, though he has not been accused of wrongdoing.
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Epstein, a sex offender and disgraced financier, was found dead at age 66 in New York's Metropolitan Correctional Center in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. His death was ruled a suicide.
Epstein had social connections with many prominent people, including President Donald Trump and former President Bill Clinton. Neither has been accused of any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein, with Trump saying their relationship ended years before his death.
Last year, Trump signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act, compelling the Department of Justice to release its investigative files on Epstein.
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What To Know
Comer said on X that Lutnick "proactively" agreed to appear "voluntarily" before the committee. "I commend his demonstrated commitment to transparency and appreciate his willingness to engage with the Committee. I look forward to his testimony," he said.
Representative Ro Khanna, a California Democrat and member of the House Oversight Committee, told reporters last week: “I believe we will have the votes to subpoena him."
Representative Nancy Mace, a South Carolina Republican, wrote on X on Friday: "Howard Lutnick should take questions from the Oversight committee."
Lutnick told Axios that he welcomed the opportunity to testify and said he wants to address questions directly, while the White House said he remains a key figure in Trump’s trade and investment agenda.
"I look forward to appearing before the committee," he said. "I have done nothing wrong and I want to set the record straight," he said.
A transcript of the interview will be released after a standard legal review by Lutnick's attorney, according to Axios.
Lutnick also testified about Epstein at a Senate Appropriations hearing on February 10.
"I did not have any relationship with him. I barely had anything to do with that person," he said.
Lutnick said on a podcast last fall that after seeing a "massage room" during a tour of Epstein's townhouse in 2005 that "my wife and I decided that I will never be in the room with that disgusting person ever again."
However, the released files showed that Lutnick went to Epstein's home in 2011 and his family had lunch with Epstein on his private Caribbean island in 2012.
Lutnick said during the Senate Appropriations hearing last month: "I don't recall why we did it," in reference to the visit to the island with his family.
What People Are Saying
White House spokesman Kush Desai told Axios: "Secretary Lutnick continues to be a critical asset for President Trump, having played a key role in securing major trade and investment deals. The entire Trump administration, including Secretary Lutnick, remains focused on delivering more wins for the American people."
House Oversight Chairman James Comer, a Kentucky Republican, on X: "I commend his demonstrated commitment to transparency and appreciate his willingness to engage with the Committee. I look forward to his testimony."
What Happens Next
The interview is expected to happen in the coming weeks, Axios reported.
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