Former U.S. Treasury Secretary and former Harvard University President Larry Summers has stepped away from his teaching duties and leadership responsibilities at Harvard as the university launches an internal investigation into his past communications with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
In a statement released earlier this week, Summers said he would be “stepping back from all public commitments” after newly revealed emails showed extensive contact between him and Epstein between 2013 and 2019 — several years after Epstein’s 2008 conviction.
Harvard confirmed Wednesday that Summers will go on leave from his position as Director of the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government at the Harvard Kennedy School and will not continue teaching for the remainder of the academic year. The leave is expected to remain in place pending the outcome of the university’s review.
Summers, who once led Harvard as president, has faced mounting pressure from students, faculty members, and political leaders — including Senator Elizabeth Warren — to address concerns about his judgment and transparency regarding the ties.
Earlier this week, Summers issued a public apology, saying he was “deeply ashamed” of his repeated communications with Epstein and accepted full responsibility.
“I recognize the pain my actions have caused and understand the need to rebuild trust,” he wrote.
As part of his broader withdrawal from public roles, Summers also announced that he has resigned from the board of OpenAI, stating that the company’s mission deserved the full confidence of the public.
The emails at the center of the controversy reveal a personal and occasionally intimate tone between Summers and Epstein, with discussions ranging from politics and academic matters to romantic pursuits. Many of the exchanges occurred just months before Epstein’s 2019 arrest.
Harvard’s investigation will determine whether any institutional policies were violated and how the university will proceed regarding Summers’ long-term role.
