Daily Show Roasts ‘Father of the Year’ Trump Honcho Over Bizarre Family Outing to Epstein Island

 

The Daily Show’s Jordan Klepper roasted Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick over his shifting story on his relationship with convicted child sex predator Jeffrey Epstein.

On Tuesday’s The Daily Show, Klepper joked that Lutnick is “father of the year” after the White House official testified before Congress that he, his wife, and his children had lunch with Epstein on his private island in 2012. The revelation and other communications have led to bipartisan calls for his resignation as Lutnick previously declared he and his wife wanted nothing to do with Epstein after a 2005 meeting.

Klepper played footage of Lutnick from an October podcast in which he described being neighbors with the “gross” Epstein. Lutnick claimed in 2005 that he and his wife vowed not to see the man again after an awkward visit to his home where he talked up his daily massages.

“So I was never in the with him socially, for business or even philanthropy. If that guy was there, I wasn’t going because he’s gross,” he said at the time.

Files released by the Department of Justice, however, suggest a relationship that lasted years after Lutnick originally claimed. He admitted during his testimony that he and his family visited Epstein’s island in 2012, though he could not recall why and he still denied a personal relationship with Epstein. The year of the visit would have been after Epstein pleaded guilty to soliciting a minor for prostitution.

“I commend you, Howard, for your moral clarity,” Klepper joked, only to go on to show Lutnick describing his family outing to Epstein’s island.

“My wife was with me, as were my four children and nannies,” Lutnick said.

“Howard!” Klepper exclaimed.

“I went to Epstein Island, but don’t worry, I brought my kids, isn’t the excuse you think it is. Good God!” Klepper said.

Klepper then cut to Lutnick explaining that he and his family had lunch for an hour and when they were done, he left with “all four of my children.”

“Father of the Year over here!” Klepper said. “Just to be clear, Howard Lutnick went from I never saw that gross man again, OK? I did visit his island too. Hey, back off. I left with all my kids, OK? I counted them. I’m the good guy here.”

Watch above via Comedy Central.

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Zachary Leeman covered pop culture and politics at outlets such as Breitbart, LifeZette, BizPac Review, HollywoodinToto, and others. He is the author of the novel Nigh. He joined Mediaite in 2022.