Trump's commerce chief details 'off-putting' Epstein encounter: 'The right kind of massage'

A congressional panel investigating the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has released transcriptions of interviews with high-profile figures, including US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Ted Waitt, the billionaire co-founder of Gateway computers. The documents shed new light on the connections between powerful individuals and the convicted sex offender.

Lutnick, who appeared voluntarily before the House Oversight Committee on 6 May, has not been accused of any wrongdoing by Epstein's victims. However, his testimony has drawn varied reactions, with some lawmakers accusing him of being evasive while others have defended his transparency.

A tour of Epstein's New York home

In his testimony, Lutnick detailed three interactions with Epstein, whom he knew as a neighbour in New York. The first, he said, occurred in 2005 when he and his wife were invited to Epstein's home for coffee. After their coffee, they were reportedly offered a tour of the residence.

It was during this tour that Lutnick described an "off-putting" moment. He recounted being shown a room that contained a massage table surrounded by candles. Upon asking Epstein how often he gets a massage, the financier apparently replied: "Every day and the right kind of massage."

Lutnick told the committee he found the sexual innuendo deeply unsettling. He said that he and his wife made their excuses and left the home shortly afterwards. He then told his wife that he did not want to interact with Epstein again.

Contradictions and an 'unsettling' island visit

The commerce secretary, considered a key architect of President Trump's global tariffs policy, had previously told Congress he cut all ties with Epstein following the 2005 incident. However, his testimony confirmed a visit to Epstein's private island, Little St. James, in 2012, long after Epstein's 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor.

The revelation of this trip, which emerged from millions of documents released by the US Justice Department, contradicted his earlier statements and led to bipartisan calls for him to resign from the Trump administration.

During his interview, Lutnick explained that he was on a family holiday in St Thomas, near the island Epstein owned, when he was contacted by Epstein's staff. He expressed his own confusion about the situation.

"What I still cannot understand is this," Lutnick said. "Without any communication for years, [how] would he inexplicably know where I'm going? It's unsettling, actually."

Lutnick stated that he, his wife, their children, and another family with their children accepted an invitation for lunch. He was firm that the group dined outdoors on the island and never went inside any buildings. "We sat outside, had lunch. It was boring. We left," Lutnick told the committee. He also recalled another brief discussion in 2011 with Epstein about scaffolding, which he described as "meaningless and inconsequential".

Political reaction and further scrutiny

The release of the transcript has amplified the political division surrounding the investigation. While the Republican chairman of the committee, James Comer, stated that Lutnick had been "very transparent", Democrats on the panel have accused him of providing misleading information.

Scrutiny of Lutnick's connection to Epstein intensified after government documents released in January 2026 revealed further contact. These files reportedly included emails showing communication between Lutnick and Epstein's offices as late as 2018. They also indicated a business connection, with both men having invested in an advertising company called Adfin in 2014. Lutnick has since stated he was unaware that Epstein was also an investor in the company.

During his testimony, Lutnick maintained that for years he was not aware that Epstein was a registered sex offender and said he never witnessed any inappropriate or illegal behaviour during his limited interactions.

Gateway co-founder's testimony

The newly released transcripts also included testimony from Ted Waitt, the billionaire co-founder of the computer company Gateway. Waitt reportedly testified about his own years-long relationship with Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's long-time partner and convicted co-conspirator. He spoke to the committee about his concerns regarding Maxwell's work for him, providing another perspective on the operations of Epstein's inner circle. Like Lutnick, Waitt has not been accused of any wrongdoing by Epstein's victims.

The House Oversight Committee's investigation into Jeffrey Epstein's network of associates and the handling of his case by federal authorities is ongoing.