From Denial to Disclosure: How Howard Lutnick’s Epstein Claims Collapsed (2/24/26)

Despite repeatedly telling the public and lawmakers that he had cut ties with Epstein and had minimal contact with him, newly released documents from the Epstein files reveal a very different picture. Lutnick claimed in interviews that after a 2005 meeting with Epstein he found him “disgusting” and avoided further interaction, but evidence shows he actually continued engaging with Epstein for years afterward. Emails show Lutnick coordinated a lunch on Epstein’s private island in 2012 with his family, had drinks with him around 2011, and even invited Epstein to a 2015 fundraiser—activities that directly contradict his earlier statements that he had no relationship and spent “zero time” with Epstein. When pressed before Congress, Lutnick tried to minimize these contacts as limited and innocuous, but the contrast between his rhetoric and the documentary evidence has made his public statements look disingenuous at best and deceptive at worst.The repercussions have been significant: bipartisan calls for his resignation have emerged, and prominent lawmakers—including Sen. Adam Schiff and Rep. Thomas Massie—have said Lutnick misled the American people about his interactions with a convicted sex offender. His attempts to spin the timeline and severity of his relationship with Epstein have only intensified scrutiny, with critics saying a senior federal official should not have to be prodded by document leaks to correct basic factual errors in his public claims. Lutnick’s credibility and judgment have been sharply questioned, and his failure to be transparent about the extent of his ties with Epstein has become a major liability for both his personal reputation and the administration he serve.to contact me:[email protected]:New Details From Epstein Files Reveal Lutnick Had Years-Long Business Tie With Sex Offender – Mother Jones