Larry Summers Steps Away from Harvard Amid Epstein Email Controversy

Larry Summers, former US Treasury Secretary and Harvard professor, has unexpectedly paused his teaching duties after emails surfaced, revealing his ongoing communications with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. This move comes at a time of heightened public scrutiny and the re-examination of his past associations with Epstein.

Summers, who once held the presidency at Harvard University, had previously limited his public engagements in light of the email disclosures. Recently, he also severed ties with OpenAI, the creators of ChatGPT. Harvard has confirmed that Summers will temporarily cease teaching his undergraduate economics classes and will step down from his role as director of the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government at the Harvard Kennedy School.

“Mr. Summers believes it's best for the Center for him to take a leave while Harvard conducts its review,” stated his spokesperson, Steven Goldberg. His classes will continue under the guidance of co-instructors. Summers is not listed to teach next semester.

The emails indicate that Summers kept in touch with Epstein long after the latter's 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor. Some messages imply Epstein provided personal advice on a romantic relationship, which Summers seemed to pursue further.

Additionally, Summers’ wife, Elisa New, had communications with Epstein as well. In a 2015 email, she expressed gratitude for his financial support for a poetry initiative she oversees, stating the donation “changed everything for me.”

Despite previous commitments to remain in the classroom, Summers’ presence had drawn mixed reactions from students. On Tuesday, he spoke to his undergraduate class on “The Political Economy of Globalization” alongside a co-teacher, acknowledging his regrets concerning his correspondence with Epstein. Although video of his comments circulated among students, no immediate public reactions were documented.

The uproar has also prompted several organizations to cut ties with Summers, including the Center for American Progress, the Center for Global Development, the Budget Lab at Yale, Bloomberg TV, and the New York Times. Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren took to social media to criticize Summers’ associations, stating he “cozied up to the rich and powerful — including a convicted sex offender.”

Summers held the position of US Treasury Secretary from 1999 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton and was Harvard's president from 2001 to 2006. In light of the recent email disclosures, Summers expressed that his links with Epstein were a “major error in judgment” and conveyed “great regrets” regarding the situation.