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Under-fire Trump commerce secretary confirms he visited Epstein's island

February 11, 2026

US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick admitted during congressional testimony that he visited Jeffrey Epstein's private island in 2012 with his family, contradicting his earlier statements that he had severed contact with the convicted sex offender in 2005. The visit, which occurred four years after Epstein's conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor, was documented in recently released Department of Justice files containing millions of Epstein-related documents. Lawmakers from both parties have demanded Lutnick's resignation for misrepresenting his relationship with Epstein, though the White House maintains President Trump's full support for the Commerce Secretary.

Who is affected

  • Howard Lutnick, US Commerce Secretary
  • Donald Trump and his administration
  • Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's sexual abuse
  • Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen (Maryland)
  • Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna (California)
  • Republican Congressman Thomas Massie (Kentucky)
  • Les Wexner, retail billionaire and former Victoria's Secret CEO
  • Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, CEO of Dubai Ports World
  • Virginia Giuffre's family, specifically her sister-in-law Amanda Roberts
  • Other individuals named in the 3.5 million released Epstein documents

What action is being taken

  • The US Department of Justice is releasing millions of pages of Epstein documents as mandated by law
  • The justice department is unredacting certain names from the files
  • Congressman Ro Khanna is revealing names that were improperly redacted
  • Survivors of Epstein abuse are advocating for Virginia's Law, legislation to remove time limits for filing civil claims in sexual abuse cases
  • The White House is maintaining support for Lutnick

Why it matters

  • This situation matters because it raises serious questions about integrity and honesty among high-level government officials. Lutnick's contradictory statements about his relationship with a convicted sex offender undermine public trust, particularly given his prominent role as architect of Trump's global tariffs policy. The bipartisan calls for his resignation demonstrate that concerns about credibility transcend party lines. Additionally, the ongoing release of Epstein documents continues to shed light on the extensive network surrounding the disgraced financier, while survivors seek legal reforms to ensure accountability and justice for victims of sexual abuse.

What's next

  • Lawmakers are calling for Lutnick to resign from his position as Commerce Secretary
  • Congress is considering Virginia's Law, which would eliminate statute of limitations for survivors of sexual abuse to file civil claims
  • The justice department continues reviewing and potentially unredacting names from the Epstein documents
  • The BBC is working to confirm the identities of four additional people whose names have been unredacted

Read full article from source: BBC