Howard Lutnick, President Trump's commerce secretary, will sit for questioning before a House panel next month as lawmakers examine his connection to Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex trafficker.
The appearance comes after the Justice Department released documents revealing that Lutnick had closer ties to Epstein than publicly acknowledged. The files suggest a relationship that went beyond what the financier and Trump nominee had previously disclosed.
House investigators are seeking to understand the extent of Lutnick's association with Epstein and what he may have known about the convicted offender's criminal activities. The questioning represents part of a broader congressional effort to examine the networks around Epstein and identify anyone who may have facilitated or failed to report his abuse.
Lutnick, the CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, has been serving as commerce secretary since Trump's return to office. His nomination and confirmation raised no significant opposition in the Republican-controlled Senate, despite records indicating a more substantial connection to Epstein than what had been publicly reported.
The released files do not specify the nature of the relationship between the two men or suggest any criminal wrongdoing by Lutnick. However, their existence prompted lawmakers to seek clarification directly from the commerce secretary about his dealings with Epstein.
This marks an escalating line of inquiry into figures who maintained connections with Epstein before his 2019 arrest on sex trafficking charges. The case has continued to generate scrutiny of wealthy and powerful individuals in his orbit.
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