I wonder if US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick just put his political career in jeopardy. He spoke with New York Post's Miranda Divine on Wednesday's Pod Force One podcast and went against what the FBI and Department of Justice have been saying lately, and even against Trump.
Notably, Lutnick was Jeffrey Epstein's neighbour in New York City.
He was asked whether high-profile associates of Epstein knew of his behavior and just ignored it, Lutnick said he believes, "No, they participated. They participated That's what his M.O. was -- 'Get a massage, get a massage.'"
"And what happened in that massage room, I assume, was on video," Lutnick said. "This guy was the greatest blackmailer ever."
He talked about the sweetheart deal Epstein initially got in 2008.
"I assume, way back when, they traded those videos in exchange for him getting that 18-month sentence, which allowed him to have visits and be out of jail. I mean, he's a serial sex offender. How could he get 18 months and be able to go to his office during the day and have visitors and stuff? There must have been a trade."
Lutnick did have some contract in social circles with Epstein and had this to say.
"I say to him, 'Massage table in the middle of your house? How often do you have a massage?'" Lutnick said. "And he says, 'Every day.'"
"And then he gets, like, weirdly close to me, and he says, 'And the right kind of massage,'" Lutnick said.
It's interesting that Lutnick decided to wade into this swamp at a very sensitive time. In terms of markets, I think it would be generally positive if he left cabinet as he's been particularly abrasive on tariffs. That said, he's basically following Trump's orders and so would his replacement.
