Lutnick may be called to testify about Jeffrey Epstein

Feb. 27 (UPI) — Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick may be called to testify before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee about his ties to deceased sex predator Jeffrey Epstein.

Rep. Nancy Mace on Friday said that Lutnick should testify after a picture of him with Epstein emerged in the Department of Justice database one day after Committee Chair Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., told reporters it is “very possible” the commerce secretary would be questioned.

Comer’s comments came at a press conference before the committee’s hearing with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, with Mace adding that calling Lutnick before the committee would “be on my list.”

“Howard Lutnick should take questions from the Oversight committee,” Mace said in a post on X, while a photograph that appears to be Lutnick standing behind Epstein, along with Lutnick’s friend Michael Lehrman and two other unidentified men.

The photo appeared to have been removed from the DOJ database, but has been restored, CNBC reported.

Howard Lutnick should take questions from the Oversight committee. https://t.co/fbzRXOvXEX— Rep. Nancy Mace (@RepNancyMace) February 27, 2026

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., told reporters on Friday that he believes there are enough votes on the committee to subpoena Lutnick, who has acknowledged that he interacted with the disgraced financier after he’d been convicted of soliciting a prostitute, including visiting Epstein’s Caribbean island with his family.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Thursday testified before the committee, saying in her opening statement that she has “no knowledge” that would assist the committee, which she posted on her social media accounts ahead being questioned.

“You have compelled me to testify, fully aware that I have no knowledge that would assist your investigation, in order to distract attention from President Trump’s actions and to cover them up despite legitimate calls for answers,” she said.

President Donald Trump has acknowledged his nearly two-decade friendship with Epstein and his name appears frequently in the documents released by the DOJ in December and January.

Neither Lutnick or Trump have been accused of any wrongdoing connected to Epstein’s trafficking and sex abuse of children.