Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is facing bipartisan calls to resign after newly released Justice Department files tied to Jeffrey Epstein appeared to contradict his past public statements about their relationship.

The documents, part of a broader release stemming from the Epstein Files Transparency Act, suggest that Lutnick continued to interact with Epstein years after claiming he severed ties in 2005.

>100 SECRET PHOTOS FROM JEFFREY EPSTEIN’S FILES – SLIDESHOW

Lawmakers from both parties say the discrepancies raise serious questions about Lutnick’s credibility and judgment.

Sen. Adam Schiff (D-California) accused Lutnick of misleading the public about the extent of his dealings with Epstein. In a statement Monday, Schiff said Lutnick’s explanations “raise serious concerns about his judgment and ethics,” adding that “he has no business being our Commerce Secretary, and he should resign immediately.”

Lutnick has previously acknowledged knowing Epstein but insisted the relationship ended nearly two decades ago. In an interview last year, he described an unsettling encounter in 2005 that prompted him to distance himself. “I was never in the room with him socially for business or even philanthropy,” Lutnick said. “If that guy was there, I wasn’t going, because he’s gross.”

However, documents released by the Justice Department suggest continued contact, including efforts to meet or communicate after Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to procuring a minor for prostitution. CNN previously reported that Lutnick sought coordinates in 2012 for his boat captain to meet Epstein near Epstein’s Caribbean island and attempted to invite Epstein to a political fundraiser in 2015.

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky), a co-author of the law that compelled the release of the Epstein files, said Lutnick should step aside rather than testify. “No, he should just resign,” Massie said on CNN’s Inside Politics. “He should make life easier on the president, frankly, and just resign.”

Massie emphasized that his focus remains on accountability for Epstein’s victims. “The Democrats want to make this about Trump, and the Republicans want to make it about the Clintons,” he said. “I want to make it about the survivors and getting them justice and transparency.”

Democrats on the House Oversight Committee have echoed those demands. Rep. Robert Garcia (D-California) wrote on X that “it’s now clear that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has been lying about his relationship with Epstein,” adding, “Lutnick must resign or be fired. And he must answer our questions.”

Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-New Mexico), who also serves on the committee, said lawmakers are considering next steps. “Of course, we would like to speak to Secretary Lutnick, and I personally believe that Mr. Lutnick needs to step down immediately,” she told reporters on Capitol Hill.

The Commerce Department has pushed back on the criticism. A spokesperson said Lutnick had “limited interactions with Mr. Epstein in the presence of his wife and has never been accused of wrongdoing.”

House Oversight Chair James Comer (R-Kentucky) has not ruled out calling Lutnick to testify but said existing subpoenas remain the committee’s priority. “We’re interested in talking to anyone who might have any information that would help us get justice for the survivorship,” Comer told reporters.