US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick says he had lunch with Epstein on his private island

As he faces calls from lawmakers to resign, Lutnick testifies that he and his family visited disgraced financier in 2012

The US commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick, had lunch with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein on the disgraced financier's private island, he said on Tuesday, as he faces mounting calls to resign from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.

I did have lunch with him, as I was on a boat going across on a family vacation" in 2012, Lutnick said in testimony on Tuesday before the Senate appropriations committee.