Lutnick faces lawmakers’ questions for more than 4 hours over past Epstein ties | CNN Politics

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick was grilled by congressional investigators Wednesday about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein following revelations that his contact with the late convicted sex offender extended years beyond what he initially claimed. Lutnick is the highest-ranking Trump administration official prominently named in the Epstein files — outside of the president himself — and his appearance behind closed doors marks an extremely rare occurrence of a sitting Cabinet official testifying in a congressional probe. It underscores that the Epstein scandal still hangs over President Donald Trump and his administration, despite the president’s repeated efforts to move on from it. The secretary, who declined to speak to reporters on Capitol Hill Wednesday, faced questions from both Democrats and Republicans on the committee related to his multiple interactions with Epstein, including a 2012 visit to the financier’s infamous Caribbean island with his wife, nannies and children that occurred years after he was said to have cut ties in 2005. The White House has so far expressed confidence in Lutnick, despite calls for his resignation. When asked on Wednesday whether the commerc