'The Daily Show' exposes Howard Lutnick after testimony on family visit to Epstein island

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: 'The Daily Show' zeroed in on Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick after he acknowledged visiting Jeffrey Epstein's private island years after previously claiming that he had severed ties with the disgraced financier.

On Tuesday night’s episode, February 10, correspondent Jordan Klepper mocked Lutnick over what he framed as a major contradiction.

The scrutiny followed Lutnick’s testimony before a Senate Appropriations subcommittee, where he confirmed that he, his wife, his four children, and their nannies visited Epstein’s island in 2012 for what he described as a brief lunch.

The revelation drew attention because Lutnick had previously suggested that he had distanced himself from Epstein as early as 2005, the same year Epstein pleaded guilty in Florida.

In past interviews, Lutnick had characterized Epstein as “gross” and said that he and his wife made a conscious decision not to associate with him socially, professionally, or philanthropically after an uncomfortable encounter.

Howard Lutnick's contradictory statements

During his recent testimony, Lutnick acknowledged the 2012 trip but insisted that it was limited in scope and included family members throughout.

He said that they had stayed roughly an hour and left together, adding that he did not witness any illegal activity and did not maintain a personal relationship with Epstein.

“I don’t recall why we did it,” he told lawmakers, referring to the visit. He emphasized that his wife and children were present the entire time, framing the outing as a family lunch rather than a private meeting.

Jordan Klepper roasts Howard Lutnick's account

The host sarcastically praised the Commerce secretary’s “moral clarity,” before highlighting the inconsistency between earlier statements and the admission of the island visit.

“I went to Epstein Island, but don’t worry- I brought my kids,” Klepper joked, suggesting that the defense only made the situation more uncomfortable.

He further mocked the evolution of Lutnick’s account, portraying it as a shift from “I never saw him again” to “Okay, I visited, but I counted my kids when I left, father of the year over here!”

This comes even as Lutnick continues to deny any close ties to Epstein and maintains that he was unaware of any criminal conduct during the visit.