Howard Lutnick has agreed to meet with the House Oversight Committee to clarify his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein amid new file disclosures
FLASH: Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has agreed to sit for a transcribed interview with the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, the panel’s chair, James Comer, confirmed. Comer said Lutnick “proactively agreed” to cooperate after reporting suggested his contacts with Jeffrey Epstein were more extensive than he had previously described.
Lutnick, speaking to reporters, has maintained he did nothing improper and asked for the chance to set the record straight.
What the committee will do next
The committee has accepted the transcribed interview into its ongoing review. Staffers on the ground say they are already scrutinizing newly released Justice Department files and could follow up with document requests, additional testimony, or subpoenas depending on what the transcript reveals.
The situation remains fluid.
Why Lutnick’s testimony matters
Lutnick’s account matters because newly released federal records appear to show communications and meetings that occurred after an encounter he once characterized as his final contact with Epstein. Investigators want to reconcile those records with Lutnick’s public statements—testing whether timelines, meetings and other interactions line up with documentary evidence and witness accounts.
The panel is focused on establishing an accurate chronology and mapping relationships, not pursuing criminal charges at this stage.
What investigators are looking for
Committee staff say they will seek sworn testimony, contemporaneous records and communications logs that might illuminate the nature of Lutnick’s interactions with Epstein after his conviction. They are particularly focused on any social, professional or financial overlaps and whether any public disclosures misrepresented the depth of the ties.
Broader inquiry and other contacts
This interview is one piece of a wider probe. Comer and committee staff have been contacting several high-profile figures tied to Epstein through documents and testimony. Letters and requests for depositions or records went to people including Bill Gates, Leon Black and Kathryn Ruemmler; those contacted have denied wrongdoing or awareness of Epstein’s crimes. Where cooperation has lagged, staffers are prepared to use subpoenas.
Recent depositions
In recent weeks, the committee has conducted a string of closed-door interviews, including meetings with former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Both told investigators they had no knowledge of Epstein’s criminal activity. Committee officials are comparing those statements with the newly released records to reconcile timelines and relationships across decades.
The central discrepancy
The core dispute centers on conflicting accounts of Lutnick’s contacts. He had said he severed ties after a visit to Epstein’s Manhattan residence and vowed never to be in Epstein’s company again. Justice Department files later surfaced showing communications and an apparent plan to travel to Little Saint James with family—an event Lutnick subsequently acknowledged. That inconsistency prompted the committee’s request for a formal, transcribed interview.
What to expect from the committee
Officials say they will prioritize verifiable records and sworn testimony as they assemble a clearer chronology. Staff plan to release transcripts publicly and may schedule follow-up interviews. Reporters on scene confirm depositions and records requests remain active; further document disclosures and witness accounts are likely as the review continues. For investigators, his testimony is another piece of evidence in a larger effort to trace who interacted with Epstein, when those interactions occurred, and whether public statements matched the paper trail. The story is evolving; expect additional documents and testimony to shape what comes next.
