Lutnick admits visiting Epstein's private island, interpreter criticizes evasiveness
Howard Lutnick, former CEO of financial services firm Cantor Fitzgerald, admitted visiting Jeffrey Epstein's island seven years after claiming to have cut ties with the late sex offender. He described the reason for his visit as 'inexplicable,' and his testimony did not satisfy Democratic lawmakers in Congress.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 7, 2026 at 11:27
- 🔍 Collected: May 7, 2026 at 12:01 (34 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 7, 2026 at 12:40 (38 min after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency, Washington, May 6, Comprehensive Foreign Report) According to congressional members who attended the closed-door hearing of the Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick admitted that he had visited Jeffrey Epstein's island seven years after claiming to have severed ties with the late sex offender, describing the reason for his visit as 'inexplicable.'
POLITICO reported that this explanation did not satisfy the Democratic members of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee who participated in today's questioning. The committee questioned Lutnick today as part of an ongoing investigation into Epstein's crimes and his network of powerful associates.
Democratic Representative Suhas Subramanyam told the media during a break in the lengthy hearing, 'He was evasive, nervous, and untruthful. Despite the facts, he refused to admit lying.'
Lutnick was questioned by lawmakers today in a recorded interview format, rather than under oath. This means he was not required to swear to tell the truth, and the entire process was not videotaped.
Nevertheless, Representative James Comer, the Republican chairman of the House committee investigating the Epstein case, warned, 'If we find any false statements by Lutnick, lying to Congress is a felony, and he will be prosecuted according to law.'
Comer also defended his decision not to require Lutnick to be videotaped. He stated that the committee would publicly release the transcript, and the American people would 'judge whether it damages (Lutnick's) credibility.'
Lutnick has not been accused of any illegal activity related to Epstein's crimes. However, since federal documents in the Epstein case revealed that the former CEO of financial services firm Cantor Fitzgerald visited Epstein's notorious island in the U.S. Virgin Islands in 2012, he has been under intense scrutiny from both parties. This contradicts his initial claim that he had severed ties with Epstein as early as 2005.
Democratic members of the committee told reporters that Lutnick ultimately could not explain why he visited Epstein's island. Representative Yassamin Ansari pointed out that the cabinet secretary described his decision at the time as 'inexplicable' and claimed that their interactions were 'meaningless' and 'insignificant.'
Democratic Representative Ro Khanna stated that Lutnick admitted to having discussed the Epstein scandal with the current administration. However, Representative James Walkinshaw noted that Lutnick refused to answer when asked if he had spoken with Trump before testifying today.
A spokesperson for the Department of Commerce did not immediately respond to a request for comment. (Compiler: Chen Yuting) 1150507
Choose to stand with the facts, every sponsorship you make is a force to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency 'First-hand News' APP to stay updated with the latest news.
The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.
(Central News Agency, Washington, May 6, Comprehensive Foreign Report) According to congressional members who attended the closed-door hearing of the Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick admitted that he had visited Jeffrey Epstein's island seven years after claiming to have severed ties with the late sex offender, describing the reason for his visit as 'inexplicable.'
POLITICO reported that this explanation did not satisfy the Democratic members of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee who participated in today's questioning. The committee questioned Lutnick today as part of an ongoing investigation into Epstein's crimes and his network of powerful associates.
Democratic Representative Suhas Subramanyam told the media during a break in the lengthy hearing, 'He was evasive, nervous, and untruthful. Despite the facts, he refused to admit lying.'
Lutnick was questioned by lawmakers today in a recorded interview format, rather than under oath. This means he was not required to swear to tell the truth, and the entire process was not videotaped.
Nevertheless, Representative James Comer, the Republican chairman of the House committee investigating the Epstein case, warned, 'If we find any false statements by Lutnick, lying to Congress is a felony, and he will be prosecuted according to law.'
Comer also defended his decision not to require Lutnick to be videotaped. He stated that the committee would publicly release the transcript, and the American people would 'judge whether it damages (Lutnick's) credibility.'
Lutnick has not been accused of any illegal activity related to Epstein's crimes. However, since federal documents in the Epstein case revealed that the former CEO of financial services firm Cantor Fitzgerald visited Epstein's notorious island in the U.S. Virgin Islands in 2012, he has been under intense scrutiny from both parties. This contradicts his initial claim that he had severed ties with Epstein as early as 2005.
Democratic members of the committee told reporters that Lutnick ultimately could not explain why he visited Epstein's island. Representative Yassamin Ansari pointed out that the cabinet secretary described his decision at the time as 'inexplicable' and claimed that their interactions were 'meaningless' and 'insignificant.'
Democratic Representative Ro Khanna stated that Lutnick admitted to having discussed the Epstein scandal with the current administration. However, Representative James Walkinshaw noted that Lutnick refused to answer when asked if he had spoken with Trump before testifying today.
A spokesperson for the Department of Commerce did not immediately respond to a request for comment. (Compiler: Chen Yuting) 1150507
Choose to stand with the facts, every sponsorship you make is a force to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency 'First-hand News' APP to stay updated with the latest news.
The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.