{"id":2569418,"date":"2026-02-12T15:38:01","date_gmt":"2026-02-12T20:38:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-not-aware-of-lutnicks-2012-visit-to-epsteins-island\/"},"modified":"2026-02-12T15:39:32","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T20:39:32","slug":"trump-not-aware-of-lutnicks-2012-visit-to-epsteins-island","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-not-aware-of-lutnicks-2012-visit-to-epsteins-island\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump not &#8216;aware&#8217; of Lutnick&#8217;s 2012 visit to Epstein&#8217;s island"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftrump-not-aware-of-lutnicks-2012-visit-to-epsteins-island%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2569418&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The Washington Examiner reports that President Donald Trump said he was not aware of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick\u2019s 2012 visit to Jeffrey Epstein\u2019s Little St. James Island.Lutnick testified before the Senate Appropriations Committee, detailing three meetings with Epstein, including a 2012 trip to the island with his family. Trump stated he had never spoken to Lutnick about Epstein and was not there during the visit,adding that Lutnick described it as a family lunch and that he himself was not present. The article notes that Lutnick had previously said he severed ties with Epstein in 2005 but that Department of Justice documents showed he maintained sporadic contact with Epstein through 2018 and he lived next door to Epstein in new york City. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump had not lost confidence in Lutnick. The piece includes an embedded video and links to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/parler-pushes-back-after-apple-blocks-social-media-site-from-app-store\/\" title=\"Parler Pushes Back After Apple Blocks Social Media Site From App Store\">related stories<\/a>.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Trump says he &lsquo;wasn&rsquo;t aware&rsquo; of Lutnick&rsquo;s 2012 visit to Epstein&rsquo;s island<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2502578\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4454169\/trump-administration-action-chinese-owned-company-wisconsin\/\">Donald Trump<\/a> told reporters Thursday that he wasn&rsquo;t aware of Commerce Secretary <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4452417\/howard-lutnick-downplays-epstein-relations-senate-testimony\/\">Howard Lutnick<\/a>&lsquo;s visit to Little St. James, an island previously owned by Jeffrey Epstein.<\/p>\n<p>Trump was asked about recent revelations regarding Lutnick and Epstein during a White House event, specifically whether he was aware about the 2012 visit to the island. <\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4456034\/josh-hawley-minnesota-attorney-general-keith-ellison-indicted-fraud-reports\/\">Hawley calls on Minnesota attorney general to be indicted over <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ftc-orders-big-tech-to-address-surge-in-ads-promoting-scams-and-fraudulent-products\/\" title=\"FTC orders Big Tech to address surge in ads promoting scams and fraudulent products\">fraud reports<\/a>: &#8216;You ought to be in jail&#8217;<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4454655\/house-candidate-texas-accused-defrauding-donors-hispanic-activists\/\">Hispanic conservatives accuse House GOP hopeful of defrauding donors and activists<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4454066\/healthcare-fraud-nationwide-house-republicans-warn\/\">Healthcare fraud has proliferated nationwide, House Republicans warn<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;No I wasn&rsquo;t aware of it,&rdquo; Trump said. &ldquo;I actually haven&rsquo;t spoken to him about it, but from what I hear, he was there with his wife and children.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I guess in some cases, some people were &mdash; I wasn&rsquo;t. I was never there,&rdquo; the president said. &ldquo;Somebody will someday say that I was never there.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Lutnick testified before the Senate Appropriations Committee on Tuesday, where he faced significant questioning on the drama and detailed three specific meetings with Epstein, including a trip with his family to Little St. James. Days prior, the latest release of Epstein documents by the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/department-of-justice\/\">Justice Department<\/a> showed that Lutnick, who had previously stated he severed ties with Epstein in 2005, had maintained sporadic contact with Epstein through 2018.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >commerce secretary lived<\/a> next door to the disgraced financier and sex criminal in New York City. Lutnick told lawmakers Tuesday that the 2012 visit to Epstein&rsquo;s island was for a family lunch.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We had lunch on the island,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;That is true, for an hour, and we left with all of my children, with my nannies, and my wife all together. We were on family vacation. We were not apart. To suggest there was anything untoward about that in 2012 &mdash; I don&rsquo;t recall why we did it.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, while <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-has-signed-40-executive-orders-and-actions-since-taking-office\/\" title=\"Biden has signed 40 executive orders and actions since taking office\">briefing reporters<\/a> on Tuesday, claimed that Trump had not lost confidence in Lutnick.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4454655\/house-candidate-texas-accused-defrauding-donors-hispanic-activists\/\"><strong>HISPANIC CONSERVATIVES ACCUSE HOUSE GOP HOPEFUL OF DEFRAUDING DONORS AND ACTIVISTS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>You can watch Trump&rsquo;s comments in full below.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"youtube-embed\" data-video_id=\"JnkR8MbPKaE\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"President Trump Makes an Announcement with the Administrator of the EPA\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/JnkR8MbPKaE?feature=oembed&amp;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Trump: I didn&#8217;t know Lutnick visited Epstein&#8217;s island<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2645,"featured_media":2569419,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AP26033775438752_2096ad.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651,538],"tags":[9006,73698,50626,3634],"class_list":["post-2569418","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","category-washington-examiner","tag-epstein","tag-epsteinisland","tag-lutnick","tag-trump"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AP26033775438752_2096ad.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2569418","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2645"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2569418"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2569418\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2569422,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2569418\/revisions\/2569422"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2569419"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2569418"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2569418"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2569418"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}