'Tariff War Chief' Lutnick Faces Resignation Pressure Over Epstein Allegations

Bipartisan Calls Mount... Republicans Also Say "He Must Resign"
NYT: "His Name Appears in Over 250 Epstein Documents"

Howard Lutnick, the Secretary of Commerce who has been spearheading the United States' tariff war, is facing bipartisan pressure to resign over allegations related to the late billionaire sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Not only Democrats but also some Republicans, who are concerned that the issue could become a political liability for U.S. President Donald Trump, are calling for his resignation.

U.S. political outlet Politico reported on the 9th (local time), citing recently released Justice Department documents on Epstein, that Secretary Lutnick had a closer relationship with Epstein than he previously testified, and that this has led to calls for his resignation.

Howard Lutnick, U.S. Secretary of Commerce. Reuters, Yonhap News Agency

The New York Times (NYT), drawing on the Justice Department documents, reported that Secretary Lutnick and Epstein lived as neighbors on the Upper East Side, an affluent area of Manhattan, and maintained regular contact for at least 13 years. The two jointly invested in the same privately held company and interacted over local and charitable matters. They are also understood to have socialized together in New York and the Caribbean. According to the NYT, Lutnick's name appears in more than 250 Epstein-related documents.

However, in a podcast interview last year, Secretary Lutnick tried to play down their relationship, saying that after meeting Epstein in 2005 he felt disgusted and had not met him even once since then.

Democrats are pressuring Secretary Lutnick to resign, accusing him of lying about his relationship with Epstein. Democratic Senator Adam Schiff of California issued a statement the same day, saying, "Lutnick's lies about his business dealings with a convicted sex offender of minors raise serious questions about his judgment and ethics," adding, "Lutnick is unfit to serve as Secretary of Commerce and should resign immediately."

Democratic members of the House, including Robert Garcia, the Democratic ranking member of the House Oversight Committee handling the Epstein case, have also called for Secretary Lutnick to step down.

Within the Republican Party as well, there are voices calling for his resignation out of concern that he could become a political burden on President Trump. Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky said on CNN the previous day that, with regard to Secretary Lutnick, "Frankly, it would be better for him to resign to relieve President Trump of this burden."

James Comer, the Republican chairman of the House Oversight Committee from Kentucky, also did not rule out the possibility of issuing a congressional subpoena to Secretary Lutnick. However, he added that for now the committee is prioritizing previously issued but unresolved subpoenas.

Although calls from both parties for Secretary Lutnick to step down are growing, Politico assessed that the likelihood of his resignation in the immediate future is low.

White House Deputy Press Secretary Kush Desai avoided directly responding to the criticism of Secretary Lutnick in a statement, saying, "Secretary Lutnick, the Department of Commerce, and the entire Trump administration remain focused on delivering results for the American people."