U.S. Commerce Department Secretary Howard Lutnick sought on Tuesday to distance himself from Jeffrey Epstein, alleging he "barely had anything to do with" the financier and convicted sex offender amid calls for his resignation over new revelations about their ties.

Trump’s commerce secretary appears to contradict previous comments that he hadn’t had anything to do with the convicted sex offender after a 2005 interaction.

Trump has attacked others for having visited Epstein’s notorious Caribbean island, but appears to be fine with his commerce secretary’s apparent trip there.

Howard Lutnick said he visited Jeffrey Epstein’s island with his family in late 2012 as the US commerce secretary was grilled at a Senate hearing by lawmakers on his contacts with the late sex offender.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick acknowledged post-conviction meetings with Jeffrey Epstein, reversing earlier claims and facing bipartisan resignation calls.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said he spent an hour there having lunch with his family and denied wrongdoing.

My wife was with me, as were my four children, and nannies,” U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said of his time with Epstein in 2012.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick was left stammering and insisted he did not have a relationship with Jeffrey Epstein when confronted over his visit to the pedophile’s private island. The top Trump official is under fire for his relationship with the late convicted sex offender after he suggested he had cut off contact with Epstein in 2005,