Rep Thomas Massie demands Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick 'resign' over Epstein ties

WASHINGTON, DC: Freshly released Justice Department records tied to Jeffrey Epstein reignited scrutiny around Trump's Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and one Republican lawmaker claimed that the issue was no longer about clarification, but accountability.

During a CNN interview on Sunday, February 8, Rep Thomas Massie argued that Lutnick’s explanations about his past relationship with Epstein no longer withstood scrutiny and that remaining in office undermined the administration’s credibility.

Thomas Massie demands Howard Lutnick's resignation

The controversy centered on Lutnick’s repeated claims that he severed all ties with Epstein roughly two decades ago.

That narrative was challenged after newly released records suggested communication continued even after Epstein’s 2008 guilty plea on charges.

CNN's Manu Raju summarized the discrepancy while questioning Massie. “Trump’s Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said that he and his wife decided around 2005 to cut ties with Jeffrey Epstein,” Raju said.

“But the latest release shows that there was some correspondence after that, even after Epstein pleaded guilty to s*x crimes in 2008,” he added. 

Raju then asked whether Lutnick should testify before Congress.

Massie rejected the idea of congressional testimony altogether, arguing that resignation was the only appropriate response.

“No, he should just resign!” Massie said. “There are three people in Great Britain that have resigned in politics- the ambassador from Great Britain to the United States, the Prince lost his title for less than what we’ve seen Howard Lutnick lie about.”

He suggested that the optics alone were damaging, regardless of whether criminal conduct was alleged.

“Howard Lutnick clearly went to the island, if we believe what’s in these files,” Massie continued. “He was in business with Jeffrey Epstein. And this was many years after Jeffrey Epstein was convicted- you know, lightly sentenced, but was convicted for s****l crimes.”

“If this were Great Britain,” he added, “he’d already be gone.”

The Commerce Department pushed back on the implications raised by the document's release.

According to CNN, the department maintained that Lutnick’s interactions with Epstein were limited, occurred in the presence of his wife, and that he had not been accused of criminal wrongdoing.

Thomas Massie urges caution on questioning Trump

Asked whether President Trump himself should be questioned over what he may have known about Epstein and his social circle, Massie urged caution.

“I wouldn’t go there yet,” he said. “Most of the men that are implicated in these files- they’re billionaires, they are friends of Trump, they are people who are in his social circles.”

Massie emphasized that his objective was not political retaliation.

“To get justice for the survivors, I want to see those men brought to justice,” he said. “Ro Khanna and I have tried to keep this from being political. In some respects, we’ve failed.”

“You know, the Democrats want to make this about Trump,” Massie added. “And the Republicans want to make it about the Clintons. I want to make it about the survivors and getting them justice and transparency.”

The comments came as tensions between Massie and Trump continued to escalate. Trump endorsed Massie’s Republican primary challenger, Ed Gallrein and repeatedly targeted the congressman as Massie pushed for broader disclosure of Epstein-related records.