Pressure Mounts for Commerce Secretary Lutnick to Resign Amid Epstein Ties

Wed Feb 11 2026 01:27:24 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick faces scrutiny after admitting to meetings with Jeffrey Epstein post-2008 conviction, igniting bipartisan calls for his resignation.

During a recent Senate hearing, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick admitted to having met with Jeffrey Epstein twice after his conviction, conflicting with his previous statements. This admission has sparked bipartisan demands for Lutnick's resignation from Congress as lawmakers seek accountability following the release of Epstein files.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Under persistent questioning from Democratic lawmakers, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick acknowledged that he had met with Jeffrey Epstein on two occasions after Epstein's 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor. This was a reversal of Lutnick's earlier assertion that he had severed ties with Epstein following a 2005 incident that disturbed him.

Lutnick attempted to downplay the significance of his relationship with Epstein as merely consisting of a few emails and two separate meetings spread over several years. “I did not have any relationship with him. I barely had anything to do with him,” Lutnick stated during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing.

Following the release of Epstein case files, which contradicted his claims made during a podcast last year, there have been heightened calls from several lawmakers for Lutnick to resign. In fact, he admitted that he shared a lunch with Epstein on his private island in 2012 and attended another meeting at Epstein's home in 2011, further raising concerns about his connections to the convicted sex offender.

Lutnick, who serves in President Donald Trump’s Cabinet, is currently one of the most prominent U.S. officials facing bipartisan demands for accountability regarding his Epstein ties. This comes in a context where, in other countries like the UK, similar scandals have led to resignations and loss of royal privileges.

Despite the revelations, Lutnick has so far resisted resigning from his post. Key lawmakers, including Republican Rep. Thomas Massie and California Democrat Rep. Ro Khanna, have publicly called for his exit, underscoring a growing frustration over the perception of impunity for the elite, particularly in the wake of their associations with Epstein.

“In this country, we have to make a decision. Are we going to allow the rich and powerful people... to skate?” Khanna remarked, highlighting a broader discourse on accountability in Washington amidst troubling associations with Epstein.

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