Lutnick admits, then denies, White House instructed him to walk back claim Epstein was ‘greatest blackmailer ever’
by Camaron Stevenson, National Correspondent
A flustered Commerce Secretary claimed during a closed-door congressional hearing Wednesday that Trump administration officials pressured him to walk back previous claims that convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was “the greatest blackmailer ever” who possessed video footage of his clients abusing girls and women.
Wall Street billionaire and US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick spoke with the House Oversight Committee for several hours as part of the committee’s investigation into the government’s lackluster handling of the Epstein case. A key point of contention during the transcribed interview centered on comments Lutnick made in an October 2025 interview with the New York Post, in which he talked about Epstein at length.
“That’s what his MO was, you know: ‘get a massage, get a massage.’ And what happened in that massage room, I assume, was on video,” Lutnick said of Epstein. “This guy was the greatest blackmailer ever. He blackmailed people. That’s how he had money.”
When pressed by US Reps. Ro Khanna (D-CA) and James Walkinshaw (D-VA), Lutnick reportedly became unsettled and repeatedly changed his responses. While the transcript of the interview has not yet been released publicly, Khanna recounted the exchange during a press briefing.
“I think he’s covering up for the administration,” Khanna began. “Secretary Lutnick said on the podcast that there was blackmail going on. Then he says to my inquiry, ‘well, no, no, no, I was just speculating.’”
“What was your basis for speculating?” Khanna asked.
“I didn’t have any basis,” Lutnick replied. “I take it back.”
“Why did you take it back?”
“I talked to administration officials.”
“Who did you talk to?” Walkinshaw interjected.
“No, no, no, I just learned about this in public,” Lutnick responded. I didn’t talk to the administration officials.”
Democratic lawmakers say the exchange points to a broader effort by the Trump administration to minimize the scale of Epstein’s billion-dollar criminal enterprise since Trump retook the presidency. The White House attempting to silence a cabinet member in order to impede a congressional investigation would mark a significant escalation, though not a wholly unprecedented one.
In 2017, Trump instructed his former attorney, Michael Cohen, to lie to Congress about a real estate deal in Russia. Cohen went on to serve three years in prison after being found guilty of making false statements to Congress, tax evasion, and campaign finance violations.
“This is why this is such a cover-up. I mean, he refused to say there was any blackmailing, even though he thought that happened in the past,” said Khanna. “Someone obviously got to him from the administration. In fact, he said he talked to people in the administration and that’s why he’s changed his tune. And the question is not just why he’s lying. The question is why he’s covering up, why he’s no longer willing to share what he knows about Epstein’s abhorrent behavior.”
Committee Chair James Comer (R-KY) later held an impromptu press briefing to refute accusations of a cover-up, instead listing off a number of unrelated issues using a deflective rhetorical technique known as whataboutism.
“I feel compelled to have to come out and clean up and correct some of the statements that the Democrats made. I couldn’t believe as I was getting updates of what they were saying, and I hope that when you get the transcripts, you fact check them on what they say,” said Comer. “The only cover-up that I’ve seen on the Oversight Committee is the cover-up of the Democrats trying to cover up our investigations of the Metro Police Department, lying about crime statistics, and the cover-up of the Minnesota fraud.”
Committee members also questioned Lutnick about his past relationship with Epstein, including business dealings, their time as next-door-neighbors in Manhattan, and Lutnick’s 2012 visit to the private island Epstein used to traffic and abuse girls and women. Lutnick had previously denied associating with Epstein after 2005, but changed his story once a portion of the Epstein Files were released in late 2025.
Wednesday’s inquiry marks the beginning of a series of high-profile hearings scheduled by the Oversight Committee as part of its investigation into Epstein. A hearing featuring several of Epstein’s victims and expert witnesses is scheduled for May 12 in Palm Beach, while former US Attorney General Pam Bondi is expected to speak with congressional investigators on May 29. Like Lutnick, Bondi will not be testifying under oath, but committee staff have emphasized that it is still a crime to lie to Congress, regardless of whether or not the subject has been sworn in.
“If we find that there were any misstatements by Lutnick, it’s a felony to lie to Congress, and you’ll be held accountable,” said Comer.
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