White House Press Secretary Abruptly Ends Briefing Over Epstein Questions
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday abruptly terminated a scheduled briefing with reporters, cutting it short rather than addressing persistent follow-up questions regarding Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick's connections to the deceased sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. The dramatic exit occurred after documents released by the Justice Department, coupled with Lutnick's own sworn congressional testimony, revealed contradictions in his account of his relationship with the notorious pedophile.
Leavitt's Defensive Stance and Sudden Departure
Approximately twenty minutes into her regular session with the White House press corps, a reporter inquired whether President Donald Trump would continue to support Lutnick, who had earlier that day admitted to the Senate Commerce Committee that he visited Epstein's private island, Little Saint James. Leavitt responded by asserting that Trump "fully supports" Lutnick, describing him as "a very important member of President Trump's team."
However, instead of permitting further scrutiny into the President's stance, Leavitt shifted to reprimanding journalists for not focusing on what she termed positive administrative achievements. "I will just point out that there are a lot of wins in the news this week that people in this room have not asked about — you continue to ask questions about the same subject — so let me point them out for you again," she declared.
She proceeded to list several days-old topics, including stock market results from the previous Friday, a medical group's opposition to gender transition surgery for minors, and recent reductions in the national crime rate. "So we're going to get back to business. The President is very busy tonight, and he'll see him all tomorrow at the event in the East Room touting his administration’s energy policy," Leavitt stated before turning and exiting the room, accompanied by a group of aides.
Lutnick's Contradictory Testimony and Admission
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, a longtime friend of President Trump who previously served as finance chief for Trump's 2024 campaign, admitted under oath to visiting Epstein's island in 2012. This admission starkly contradicts his prior claims of having severed all ties with Epstein after a 2005 encounter, which he described as so unsettling that he vowed to "never be in the room with that disgusting person ever again."
During questioning from Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen, Lutnick acknowledged, "I did have lunch with him, as I was on a boat going across on a family vacation. My wife was with me, as were my four children and nannies. We had lunch on the island, that is true, for an hour, and we left with all of my children with my nannies and my wife … I don’t recall why we did it." Despite this, he maintained in his testimony that he "did not have any relationship with" Epstein and "barely had anything to do with that person."
Justice Department documents further undermined Lutnick's narrative, revealing that he not only maintained connections with Epstein as late as 2018—the year before Epstein's federal indictment on sex trafficking charges—but also arranged the 2012 visit to the infamous island, often referred to as "rape island." This evidence highlights a significant lack of transparency regarding his associations.
Broader Context and Administration Response
Leavitt also fielded a question about another administration-released document that contained a secondhand report alleging Trump had spoken to a Palm Beach police chief about Epstein in 2006, claiming that "everyone" knew about the pedophile's illegal activities with minors. While she did not confirm the alleged phone call's occurrence, Leavitt asserted that Trump has always been "honest and transparent" about his relationship with Epstein, a former close friend until their falling-out in the early 2000s.
In contrast, Lutnick has not demonstrated similar honesty regarding his ties to Epstein, raising questions about his suitability for his high-ranking position. The incident underscores ongoing controversies within the administration and the press's role in holding officials accountable, particularly in matters involving serious ethical and legal implications.
