Justice Department Removes Photo of Commerce Secretary Lutnick from Epstein Files

The U.S. Department of Justice has reportedly removed a photograph showing Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein from its publicly accessible database of Epstein-related documents, according to an investigation by The Daily Beast.

The image in question apparently showed Lutnick alongside Epstein and three other men on Little Saint James, Epstein’s private Caribbean island, in what sources say was a 2012 visit. This timeline is significant as it contradicts Lutnick’s previous statements about his relationship with the disgraced financier.

The photograph had been available through a cached download of the Epstein Files but was later removed from the official archive. It was initially uploaded to Jmail, a browser-based platform that allows users to search Epstein-related documents in a Gmail-like interface. A link to the image appeared in the platform’s “jmailarchive” section, identified with the DOJ file label “EFTA01230639.”

When reporters attempted to locate this file in the DOJ’s official Epstein document database, no matching record could be found, suggesting potential removal of the file from public access.

A Justice Department official acknowledged Lutnick’s presence in the photograph but offered an explanation for its removal: “This image was part of a batch of files that were flagged for nudity. The batch of thousands of images was pulled for review and is being uploaded with necessary redactions on a rolling basis. No files are being deleted.”

The Independent later reported that the link to the image may have reappeared, though attempts by Mint to verify this found the file still missing from the DOJ’s publicly accessible documents.

This development adds to growing scrutiny of Lutnick’s previously downplayed connections to Epstein. The 64-year-old Commerce Secretary has faced criticism for apparent inconsistencies in his accounts of his relationship with Epstein. During a podcast interview last year, Lutnick claimed he had met Epstein only once in 2005 after becoming his neighbor, stating he immediately cut ties after noticing a massage table during a coffee invitation.

However, emails released by the DOJ contradicted this narrative, revealing correspondence between Lutnick and Epstein years after Epstein’s 2008 guilty plea for soliciting a minor for prostitution. The emails show arrangements for calls and meetings, including visits to Epstein’s island property, which has been identified by victims as a location where sexual abuse occurred.

It’s important to note that being mentioned in Epstein’s documents or appearing in photographs with him does not necessarily implicate individuals in any wrongdoing, which appears to be the case for Lutnick.

The Commerce Secretary, considered one of President Trump’s favorite dealmakers, now faces calls for his resignation from several Democratic lawmakers. Representative Ted Lieu, a California Democrat, publicly questioned Lutnick on social media about the number of visits he made to what he termed “Epstein’s rape island.”

Lutnick’s position within the Trump administration has reportedly become complicated by other issues as well. According to Politico, President Trump confronted Lutnick during a winter holiday gathering at Mar-a-Lago over concerns that Lutnick’s family was profiting too aggressively from Trump’s popularity.

The Commerce Secretary’s management style has also reportedly created friction within the administration. Department staff allegedly face strict communication controls, with interdepartmental engagement requiring Lutnick’s direct approval. Sources claim that even during White House meetings, Commerce Department aides are instructed not to take policy positions without explicit authorization from Lutnick.

Officials speaking on condition of anonymity described Lutnick as confrontational in meetings, allegedly raising his voice and talking over others when facing disagreement, with one source recalling a particularly tense exchange over trade policy last year.