PoliticsHoward Lutnick's Alleged Epstein Ties Raise Serious Concerns
New DOJ records suggest Howard Lutnick maintained ties with Jeffrey Epstein beyond 2005.
March 25 2026, Published 7:00 a.m. ET
Representative Robert Garcia, the leading Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, recently called for clarity regarding Howard Lutnick’s connections to Jeffrey Epstein. Newly released records contradict Lutnick’s public claims about limited interactions with Epstein after 2005. “Trump Commerce Secretary Lutnick said he had zero interactions with Epstein after 2005. It seems they were actually doing business together. We have serious questions,” Garcia stated on X, linking to a CBS News report detailing the findings.
Robert Garcia is questioning Howard Lutnick’s past ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
CBS News reported that documents from the Justice Department’s Epstein files indicate Lutnick and Epstein “were in business together as recently as 2014.” These revelations starkly contrast Lutnick’s assertions that he had cut off contact with Epstein years earlier. The new information is part of the Justice Department’s recent release under the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
On January 30, the DOJ shared 3.5 million pages of documents, including thousands of videos and images, as part of its compliance with the law. Among these materials, a set of emails reveals Lutnick making arrangements in 2012 that involved a potential family visit to Epstein’s private island, years after he claimed to have severed ties. Bloomberg corroborated this by noting that the emails suggest Lutnick maintained contact longer than publicly stated, including a December 2012 email in which Lutnick inquired about a family trip.
New documents suggest they stayed in contact after 2005.
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In 2005, after meeting Epstein, Lutnick vowed to “never be in a room with that disgusting person ever again.” However, recent documents released by the DOJ contradict this claim, raising questions about Lutnick’s credibility.
Emails showed possible plans for a visit to Epstein’s island.
The scrutiny surrounding Lutnick comes as the DOJ faces criticism over its handling of Epstein records. Business Insider reported that the DOJ temporarily removed about 9,500 documents after victims and attorneys expressed concerns regarding the inclusion of identifying details in the public release. The department stated it would implement further redactions before reposting the records.
The Associated Press reported that starting February 9, the DOJ will allow Congress members to review unredacted versions of the released Epstein files on Justice Department computers, with restrictions on electronic copying and limited access.
Lutnick, a billionaire finance executive before joining Trump’s Cabinet, is one of several prominent figures named in the latest filings released under the transparency law. The CBS News report stated that the documents indicate ongoing business dealings and communications that continued past the date Lutnick claimed he had severed ties with Epstein.
Howard Lutnick had previously denied any continued relationship.
Epstein, the financier central to the records release, died in a federal jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on s-- trafficking charges. The DOJ’s document production has renewed calls for accountability and a comprehensive disclosure of Epstein’s network and contacts.
Garcia has not yet specified any immediate actions following his post, but he frames the Lutnick disclosures as a credibility issue requiring sworn testimony and additional document production.
