Lutnick called interactions with Epstein 'meaningless and inconsequential': Transcript

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick claimed that he only had three "meaningless and inconsequential" interactions with his billionaire neighbor Jeffrey Epstein, including their first encounter in 2005, according to a transcript of his testimony to the House Oversight Committee.

"I first met Jeffrey Epstein when his staff knocked on our door and invited my wife and I to come next door for coffee to -- he lived in the townhouse adjacent to ours," Lutnick recalled. "And then, sometime later, my wife and I went over to his house for coffee. It would be literally 8 or 10 steps next door."

Lutnick testified behind closed doors before the committee last week -- the first Trump cabinet official to face questions as part of the committee's probe into Epstein. The committee released transcripts of Lutnick's testimony on Wednesday.

Addressing his visit to Epstein's private island in 2012, Lutnick claimed that Epstein's staff "discovered my family's vacation plans" and arranged the visit without his knowledge.

"My wife made clear, however, that we had a large traveling party of approximately 12-plus people, and if we were to come, it would be with everyone. My family of six and another family of six, had a brief, meaningless, and inconsequential lunch and then left," Lutnick said, according to the transcript.

He told committee investigators that he never visited any of Epstein's properties other than his private island at Little St. James just before Christmas in 2012.

"I went for lunch with my wife and my four children, my friends -- a couple and their four children -- and staff and boat staff," Lutnick testified. "So it was probably 15, 16 people went for lunch. We sat outside, had lunch. It was boring. We left."

Lutnick said did not see any young women or girls on the island.

Later in the interview, Lutnick expressed incredulity at the suggestion that he resembled one of the masks photographed on the wall in a room at Epstein's estate on the island. Photographs of the masks were among the materials released by the Justice Department following the Epstein Transparency Act.

"You've got to be kidding me. That is the most ridiculous and absurd thing I've ever heard," Lutnick responded. "What, a bald man? I have hair. Look. I mean, I don't have many, but at least I have some. That is not remotely me. That's nonsense."

Lutnick also stood by remarks he made last year that he distanced himself from Epstein after their first encounter.

"At no time during these limited interactions did I witness any conduct, let alone the type of illegal conduct of which we have since become aware," he said, according to the transcript. "After our first interaction, my wife and I discussed that I would not establish a personal nor professional relationship with that individual."

Lutnick's transcribed interview before the commitee lasted just over 4 hours. President Donald Trump's name appears 17 times in the transcript.

Despite persistent questioning from Democrats, Lutnick refused to address whether he and President Trump had spoken about Epstein during his presidency.

"I'm not going to discuss conversations I had with the president, but you shouldn't take it one way or the other," Lutnick testified. "I'm just not going to have any discussion on it. But please don't take from that one way or the other with respect to the conversation."

Lutnick said he was not aware of Trump's friendship with Epstein.

Lutnick said he could not recall if his own relationship with Epstein was brought up during his nomination to be commerce secretary.

"I don't remember that, no," he said.

Lutnick recalled meeting Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell -- who's now serving a 20-year prison sentence -- one time at a Rockefeller Institute fundraiser in New York City -- telling investigators it was also "meaningless and inconsequential."

Lutnick also said he was never questioned by authorities in connection with an investigation related to Epstein or Maxwell.

"No," he answered.

Lutnick repeatedly answered "no" when asked if he was aware about the abuse Epstein and Maxwell were committing.