Bare-Knuckle Tactics and Brash Promises: How Howard Lutnick Operates NYT | Top Stories Michael Rothfeld and Ana Swanson 28 May 2026 at 15:00 Before becoming U.S. commerce secretary, Mr. Lutnick controlled 818 companies. A review of their dealings sheds light on his freewheeling first year in government. © Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times