Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick arrives for a deposition as part of the House Oversight Committee’s investigation of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, May 6, 2026. J. Scott Applewhite/AP
According to a transcript of his remarks to the House Oversight Committee, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick asserted he only had three "trivial and insignificant" interactions with his wealthy neighbor Jeffrey Epstein, commencing with their initial meeting in 2005.
"I initially encountered Jeffrey Epstein when his staff members knocked on our door and invited my wife and myself to come over next door for coffee – he resided in the townhouse right next to ours," Lutnick stated. "Subsequently, sometime later, my wife and I went to his residence for coffee. It was essentially just a few steps away."
Lutnick provided testimony in private before the committee last week — becoming the first Trump cabinet member to answer questions as part of the committee's inquiry into Epstein. The committee made public transcripts of Lutnick's testimony this Wednesday.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick arrives for a deposition as part of the House Oversight Committee’s investigation of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, May 6, 2026.J. Scott Applewhite/AP
Regarding his visit to Epstein's personal island in 2012, Lutnick maintained that Epstein's employees "became aware of my family's vacation arrangements" and scheduled the visit without his prior consent.
"However, my wife clarified that we had a sizable group of around 12-plus individuals, and if we were to attend, it would be with everyone. My family of six, along with another family of six, had a brief, trivial, and inconsequential lunch and then departed," Lutnick stated, as per the transcript.
He informed committee investigators that he never visited any of Epstein's properties aside from his private island at Little St. James just prior to Christmas in 2012.
"I went for lunch accompanied by my wife and our four children, my friends — a couple and their four children — as well as staff and boat crew," Lutnick stated. "So approximately 15 or 16 people went to have lunch. We were seated outside, had lunch. It was uninteresting. We then left."
Lutnick asserted he did not observe any young females or girls on the island.
Later during the interview, Lutnick voiced disbelief at the suggestion that he bore resemblance to one of the masks photographed on the wall inside a room at Epstein’s property on the island. Images of the masks were among the documents released by the Justice Department following the Epstein Transparency Act.
"Are you serious? That ranks as the most preposterous and ludicrous thing I've ever been told," Lutnick responded. "What, a man with no hair? I do possess hair. Look. Granted, I don’t have an abundance of it, but I do have some. That bears no resemblance to me. That's ridiculous."
Lutnick also stood by comments he delivered last year that he distanced himself from Epstein following their initial interaction.
"At no point during these limited interactions did I observe any behavior, particularly the kind of unlawful behavior we’ve since learned about," he stated, as per the transcript. "Following our initial interaction, my wife and I talked and I decided that I would not establish a personal or business connection with that individual."
Lutnick's recorded interview before the committee extended for just over 4 hours. President Donald Trump's name is mentioned 17 times in the transcript.
Despite sustained questioning from Democrats, Lutnick declined to answer whether he and President Trump had talked about Epstein during his time as president.
FILE – President Donald Trump speaks as he signs executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House, April 17, 2025, in Washington, as Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick listens. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, FIle)Alex Brandon/AP
"I won't be discussing discussions I engaged in with the president, however, you shouldn't interpret that in any particular way," Lutnick said. "I’m simply not going to comment on it. But, please don't draw any conclusions regarding the nature of the discussion from that."
Lutnick declared he was not aware of Trump's association with Epstein.
Lutnick commented he could not recall if his own connection with Epstein came up during his nomination to be commerce secretary.
"I have no recollection of that, no," he responded.
Lutnick remembered encountering Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell – currently serving a 20-year prison sentence – on one occasion at a Rockefeller Institute event in New York City – telling investigators it was similarly "trivial and inconsequential."
Lutnick also stated he was never interrogated by law enforcement concerning an investigation pertaining to Epstein or Maxwell.
"No," he replied.
Lutnick responded "no" repeatedly when queried if he knew about the abuse Epstein and Maxwell were carrying out.
Sourse: abcnews.go.com