Washington: US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Wednesday that he had been vacationing with his family in the Caribbean in 2012 and was surprised when he received an invitation to visit Jeffrey Epstein's private island.

According to Anadolu Agency, during a closed-door interview with a congressional panel, Lutnick said he was unsure how Epstein's staff knew of his location and described the situation as 'unsettling,' as reported by The Wall Street Journal. The House Oversight Committee requested his testimony as part of its broader investigation into the Epstein case and its review of several prominent associates.

Lutnick told lawmakers that he had neither a personal nor professional relationship with the late sex offender. He said he met Epstein on three occasions and reaffirmed his earlier stance that he wanted no association with him after touring his home in 2005. Following the session, Democrats voiced sharp criticism.

"Howard Lutnick should resign," said Rep. Suhas Subramanyam. "He was clearly being dishonest, he was clearly being evasive." Committee Chairman James Comer pushed back, arguing that Democrats were distorting what was said during the interview.

The panel has, however, made public recordings of some earlier interviews, including those with Bill and Hillary Clinton. Billionaires Leon Black and Bill Gates are expected to testify next month. Documents released by the Justice Department related to Epstein indicate that Lutnick continued communicating with him and visited the island years after he had claimed to have ended contact. The former Cantor Fitzgerald CEO also lived in a Manhattan townhouse adjacent to Epstein's residence.