The US commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick, appeared before the House oversight and reform committee on Wednesday to answer questions over his past ties to Jeffrey Epstein.

After the hearing concluded, Democrats on the committee lambasted Lutnick's performance.

"Now we know why that interview was not videotaped. If Donald Trump had seen the video transcript, he would've fired Howard Lutnick," said Ro Khanna, a Democratic congressman of California, who has helped lead efforts in Congress to force the release of the justice department's files related to Epstein.

"It was just contortions and lies ... He made a farce of the English language."