US Commerce Secretary Lutnick planned Epstein island visit, emails show

January 31, 2026

Newly released documents from the DOJ's Epstein files reveal that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick planned and likely executed a family visit to Jeffrey Epstein's private island in 2012, seven years after Lutnick publicly claimed he had permanently severed contact with the convicted sex offender. Email correspondence shows Lutnick's wife coordinating a family trip with children and another family to Little Saint James, with subsequent messages suggesting the visit occurred. This contradicts Lutnick's October 2025 statements to the New York Post where he described cutting ties with Epstein in 2005 after an uncomfortable encounter at Epstein's Manhattan home.

Who is affected

Howard Lutnick, US Commerce Secretary
Lutnick's wife, Allison, and their four children
Another unnamed family that traveled with the Lutnicks
The US Commerce Department (reputationally)
Public trust in government officials' transparency

What action is being taken

The US Department of Justice is releasing Epstein files, having posted three million pages, 180,000 images, and 2,000 videos publicly on Friday as mandated by law passed last year.

Why it matters

This matters because it reveals a credibility gap for a high-ranking US government official who made public claims about distancing himself from a notorious convicted sex offender while evidence suggests continued association years later. The contradiction undermines public trust in government transparency and raises questions about the vetting and truthfulness of Cabinet-level officials, particularly given Epstein's criminal history was already known by the time of the 2012 visit.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC