Larry Summers says he's “deeply ashamed” after emails revealed his longtime ties with Jeffrey Epstein. [Photo: Reuters]
Former US Treasury Secretary and Harvard President Larry Summers said he will step back from his public roles. He made this decision after the release of emails that revealed his long-term friendly ties with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
In a statement issued on Nov 17, Summers said, “I am deeply ashamed of my actions and recognize the pain they have caused. I take full responsibility for my misguided decision to continue communicating with Mr Epstein.”
He added that he would “step back from public commitments … as one part of my broader effort to rebuild trust and repair relationships with the people closest to me.” Summers also said he would continue teaching economics at Harvard, but he will reduce his involvement in outside public roles.
The emails, made public by the US House Oversight Committee, show that Summers and Epstein exchanged messages from 2013 to early 2019. They discussed politics, personal life, and relationships.
In one 2019 email, Summers confided in Epstein about a woman he described as his mentee. Summers wrote, “I said What are you up to. She said, ‘I’m busy’. I said awfully coy u are.” Epstein replied: “You reacted well... annoyed shows caring. , No whining showed strength.”
In earlier correspondence, Summers made controversial remarks. In a 2017 message, he wrote, “I observed that half of the IQ … world was possessed by women without mentioning they are more than 51 per cent of the population.” He also asked Epstein for advice on his wife’s nonprofit project, as Epstein had offered funding before.
Senator Elizabeth Warren sharply criticized Summers’s judgment. She said his close relationship with Epstein shows “monumentally bad judgment.” Warren and others have called on Harvard and other institutions to cut ties with him.
Summers also holds roles at other influential places, including the Centre for American Progress (CAP), OpenAI, and as a writer for Bloomberg News. There is a growing debate about whether he should continue in these positions amid the backlash.
This controversy highlights how Epstein’s influence reached deep into elite policy circles. Summers was not just a powerful academic or politician — he was also connected to major policy-shaping institutions.
His stepping back is not just personal fallout; it may reshape how think tanks and universities handle ethical risk. If Summers is pushed out of his high-profile roles, other powerful figures in Epstein’s orbit could also face greater scrutiny.
Larry Summers aims to rebuild trust quietly and repair his personal relationships. Harvard and other institutions may decide his future roles — some already face demands to sever ties. Lawmakers and the public will likely keep watching Epstein’s email files and their fallout, calling into question not only personal judgment but institutional accountability.
