Students Urge Haverford College to Remove Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s Name From Library Over Epstein Ties

By Alex Morgan | Thursday, February 19, 2026

Students and alumni at Haverford College in Pennsylvania are demanding the school remove Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s name from its library due to his connections with Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender.

Lutnick graduated from the suburban Philadelphia institution in 1983 and is its largest donor.

However, the commerce secretary has faced scrutiny after he admitted during a Senate subcommittee hearing last week that he visited Epstein’s private island following Epstein’s conviction for soliciting an underage minor.

Lutnick previously stated he cut ties with Epstein in 2005. At the hearing, he described their contact as limited to a few emails and two meetings spanning years.

“I did not have any relationship with him,” Lutnick told lawmakers. “I barely had anything to do with him.”

In a 2025 podcast titled “Pod Force One,” Lutnick said he resolved to “never be in the room” with Epstein again after a tour of Epstein’s New York home in 2005 disturbed him and his wife.

But under questioning by senators, Lutnick admitted to an hourlong meeting at Epstein’s home in 2011.

Haverford College President Wendy Raymond said she is considering removing Lutnick’s name from the library.

“A growing number of Fords [Haverford students and alumni] have written to express their dismay over these revelations and have requested immediate action,” Raymond wrote in a message to faculty, students, and alumni Thursday.

“I am taking this complex issue under deep consideration,” Raymond added. “Our core values call us to act with curiosity, discernment, and integrity. This duty of care in upholding our mission and values is a constant.”

The college president stated she would “take the time necessary to continue to reflect and engage with thought partners before determining whether to activate a review committee” on renaming the library.

Lutnick has been in contact with Michael Kim, Haverford’s board chair and a billionaire private equity executive, regarding calls to remove his name. Kim has been supportive of Lutnick.

The White House has pushed back against bipartisan efforts for Lutnick’s resignation, emphasizing unity within the Trump administration and dismissing criticism as a distraction from its policy agenda.

In an email to CNBC, White House spokesman Kush Desai stated that President Donald Trump stands firmly behind his Cabinet.

“President Trump has assembled the best and most transformative Cabinet in modern history,” Desai wrote.

“The entire Trump administration, including Secretary Lutnick and the Department of Commerce, remains focused on delivering for the American people,” Desai added.

“The president’s cabinet is working as one team, and they remain focused on results,” Desai said.

A Lutnick spokesperson declined to comment.