Congressional Panel Releases Epstein Interviews with Commerce Secretary Lutnick and Gateway Founder Waitt

A congressional panel investigating the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein released transcripts of interviews with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Ted Waitt, the billionaire co-founder of Gateway computers.

Lutnick described three interactions with Epstein, a former New York neighbor. These included a visit to Epstein's home next door and a trip to his Caribbean island after Lutnick thought he had cut ties.

Waitt testified about his years-long relationship with Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's convicted co-conspirator, and his concerns about her employment with him.

He said he and his wife received an invitation to Epstein's New York home in 2005. After coffee, they were offered a tour and shown a room with a massage table surrounded by candles.

When Waitt asked Epstein how often he got massages, Epstein replied: "Every day and the right kind of massage."

Lutnick called the comment "off-putting." He and his wife excused themselves and left. Afterward, he told his wife he wanted no further contact with Epstein.

The commerce secretary, seen as the architect of President Trump's global tariffs policy, had previously told Congress he ended ties with Epstein in 2005. That was after the pedophile used sexual innuendo to explain ownership of the massage table in his home.

But earlier this year, Lutnick confirmed a 2012 visit to Epstein's island during a family vacation in the Caribbean. Details appeared in millions of documents released by the US Justice Department from its Epstein investigations.

News of the visit, long after Lutnick claimed to have severed contact, prompted bipartisan calls for his resignation from the Trump administration.

In last week's interview, Lutnick said Epstein's staff contacted him. They knew he would vacation with family in St. Thomas, near Epstein's island.

"What I still cannot understand is this," Lutnick said. "Without any communication for years, [how] would he inexplicably know where I'm going? It's unsettling, actually."

Lutnick, his wife and children, another couple and their children, plus staff accepted an invitation for lunch. They ate outdoors and never entered the house, he said.

"We sat outside, had lunch. It was boring. We left," Lutnick told the committee.

He also mentioned a 2011 discussion with Epstein about scaffolding, which he described as "meaningless and inconsequential."

The committee released Waitt's transcript from its April 30 interview on Wednesday.

Waitt detailed his relationship with Maxwell, which began in 2004 and lasted until 2010. He denied seeing any nefarious conduct and said his interactions with Epstein were very limited.

Waitt knew little of Maxwell's work for Epstein. He called her role "estate manager," helping oversee Epstein's properties and staff.

Maxwell had dated Epstein before they met, Waitt said. It sometimes felt odd that she worked for her ex-boyfriend.

"He did seem to have significant influence over her, she always kind of look[ed] up to him and I was not comfortable with that," Waitt said.

Waitt dated Maxwell when Epstein pleaded guilty in Florida to prostitution of a minor. Maxwell received a subpoena to testify. Waitt said they discussed the case during their relationship. She was "quite stressed" but "denied having any involvement with that."