Washington: Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick admitted on Tuesday that he met with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein on two occasions after Epstein’s 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor, contradicting his earlier statements that he had severed ties with Epstein in 2005.

Under questioning from Democrats during a Senate Appropriations Committee subcommittee hearing, Lutnick downplayed the significance of his interactions with Epstein, describing their contact as a handful of emails and two meetings spread over several years.

“I did not have any relationship with him. I barely had anything to do with him,” Lutnick told lawmakers.

Acknowledged meetings raise scrutiny

Lutnick now faces growing bipartisan scrutiny, including calls for his resignation, following the release of Epstein case files that contradicted his previous claim on a podcast last year that he had chosen to “never be in the room” with Epstein again after a 2005 visit to Epstein’s New York home, which had unsettled him and his wife.

During Tuesday’s hearing, Lutnick disclosed that he and his family had lunch on Epstein’s private island in 2012 and also spent an hour at Epstein’s residence in 2011. As a member of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet, Lutnick is the most high-profile U.S. official yet to come under pressure amid revelations from the Epstein files.

White House stance

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended Lutnick, stating Tuesday that he “remains a very important member of President Trump's team, and the president fully supports the secretary.”

Senate questions Lutnick’s conduct

Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., who questioned Lutnick, emphasised that there is no evidence the secretary personally engaged in wrongdoing with Epstein. “It's the fact that you believe that you misled the country and the Congress based on your earlier statements,” Van Hollen told him.

While stopping short of demanding Lutnick’s resignation, Van Hollen requested that the secretary provide Congress with documentation of any ties to Epstein. Lutnick responded, “I have nothing to hide,” adding that he would give the request some thought.

Several Senate Republicans also expressed concern. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., remarked that a visit to Epstein’s private island “would raise questions.” Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., told reporters, “It's something I'm concerned with,” while also noting that Lutnick could do well by clarifying “exactly what did and what did not happen over the course of what seems to be an interesting relationship that included business entanglements.”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune did not mention Lutnick directly but said those named in the Epstein files “are going to have to answer questions around that.” He added, “I think the American people are going to have to make judgments about whether or not they think those answers are sufficient.”

House pressure for resignation

Meanwhile, lawmakers in the House who had pushed for the release of the Epstein files have called for Lutnick to resign. Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky urged his removal after emails surfaced referencing the meetings with Epstein.

Democrat Rep. Ro Khanna of California joined Massie in pressuring Lutnick to step down, stating, “Based on the evidence, he should be out of the Cabinet.” Khanna added, “It's not about any particular person. In this country, we have to make a decision. Are we going to allow the rich and powerful people who are friends and (had) no problem doing business and showing up with a pedophile who is raping underage girls, are we just going to allow them to skate?” (AP)