Lutnick claims no relationship with Epstein amid calls to resign

February 11, 2026 10:51 AM

Lutnick claims no relationship with Epstein amid calls to resign

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. The Justice Department in January released millions of new files related to Epstein, including emails that showed Lutnick apparently visited Epstein's private Caribbean island for lunch years after he claimed to have cut...

Japan’s trade negotiator cancels US visit over tariff deal snag

August 28, 2025 10:49 AM

Japan’s trade negotiator cancels US visit over tariff deal snag

Japan's top trade negotiator cancelled a visit to the United States at the last minute on Thursday, further delaying talks designed to finalise a $550 billion investment package offered by Tokyo in exchange for relief on punishing tariffs. Ryosei Akazawa was due to fly to Washington to craft a written confirmation of the terms of the package, such as the split of investment returns between the U.S. and Japan, a government source previously told Reuters. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick h...