Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has agreed to testify before the House Oversight Committee regarding his past connection to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, according to a report Tuesday from Axios.
Lutnick, a senior official in President Donald Trump’s administration, will participate in a closed-door interview with the committee as lawmakers continue reviewing materials connected to Epstein.
The commerce secretary signaled that he intends to cooperate fully with the inquiry and expressed confidence that the testimony will clear up questions surrounding his relationship with Epstein.
“I look forward to appearing before the committee,” Lutnick told Axios. “I have done nothing wrong and I want to set the record straight.”
The renewed scrutiny stems from a photograph that surfaced in the Justice Department’s latest release of Epstein-related documents. The image reportedly shows Lutnick spending time with Epstein on the financier’s private island.
The appearance of that photo raised questions because Lutnick had previously said that he ended contact with Epstein in the mid-2000s, several years before Epstein was ultimately convicted of sex trafficking.
However, Lutnick later testified that he had visited Epstein’s island with members of his family in 2012.
During testimony before the Senate Appropriations Committee in February, Lutnick addressed the circumstances surrounding that visit.
“I did have lunch with him, as I was on a boat going across on a family vacation,” Lutnick told senators.
Lutnick has also explained how he first became acquainted with Epstein. According to the commerce secretary, the two met while they were neighbors in New York City.
He said their interactions were limited, noting that he met Epstein only a handful of times over a long period.
“I met him two other times that I could recall over a 14 year span,” Lutnick said.
Despite those limited contacts, the resurfacing of Epstein-related documents has prompted lawmakers to seek further clarification.
Lutnick’s decision to testify follows a public call last week from Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), who urged the commerce secretary to answer questions about his past interactions with Epstein.
The House Oversight Committee has been actively reviewing figures connected to Epstein in recent weeks as part of its broader investigation.
Just last week, the committee conducted a combined nine hours of interviews with former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Footage from those often-contentious interviews was released Monday, drawing renewed attention to the committee’s efforts to examine individuals who may have had ties to Epstein.
President Donald Trump also weighed in on the issue shortly after questions about Lutnick’s past surfaced.
The president largely dismissed concerns about the commerce secretary’s visit to Epstein’s island, noting that Lutnick had traveled there with his family.
Trump said he had not personally discussed the trip with Lutnick but suggested there was little reason to believe anything inappropriate occurred.
According to the president, Lutnick was on the island “with his wife and children” and likely did nothing scandalous.
For his part, Lutnick appears eager to address the matter directly before lawmakers.
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) praised the commerce secretary’s willingness to testify and cooperate with the investigation.
“I commend [Lutnick’s] demonstrated commitment to transparency and appreciate his willingness to engage with the Committee,” Comer said Tuesday. “I look forward to his testimony.”
The upcoming closed-door interview will give committee members the opportunity to question Lutnick about his past interactions with Epstein and clarify the timeline of their relationship as lawmakers continue examining newly released documents tied to the case.
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