Larry Summers Withdrawal from Public Life Following Epstein Email Controversy

Wed Nov 19 2025 00:38:11 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Former Harvard president Larry Summers announces he will step back from public commitments after emails with Jeffrey Epstein are released, expressing shame for their association.

Larry Summers has declared his intention to step away from public engagements amid scrutiny following the release of emails exchanged between him and Jeffrey Epstein prior to Epstein's 2019 arrest. In a statement, Summers expressed deep shame over his past communications with Epstein, which included meetings and proposals for networking with influential figures. As he seeks to rebuild trust and limit public exposure, Summers' affiliations, including his role at the Center for American Progress, have been terminated. The implications of their correspondence and its alignment with the broader Jeffrey Epstein investigation have raised significant concerns.

Former Harvard University president Larry Summers has announced he will step back from public commitments after his emails with disgraced late financier Jeffrey Epstein were made public.

I am deeply ashamed of my actions and recognise the pain they have caused, he said in a statement to CBS News, the BBC's US partner.

Emails released by a House committee last week show Summers, a former US treasury secretary, communicated with Epstein until the day before Epstein's 2019 arrest for the alleged sex trafficking of minors.

On Tuesday, House members are expected to vote on a measure calling for the release of all Epstein-related files that have yet to be made public.

The measure would then head to the Senate, requiring the approval of US President Donald Trump.

Summers served as treasury secretary under former President Bill Clinton and director of the National Economic Council under former President Barack Obama. He was president of Harvard from 2001 to 2006 and is currently a professor there.

I take full responsibility for my misguided decision to continue communicating with Mr Epstein, Summers wrote. He added that he wanted to rebuild trust and repair relationships with the people closest to me.

In his statement, Summers emphasized his intention to fulfill his teaching obligations while stepping back from public commitments as part of a broader effort to mitigate the impact of this controversy.

The Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank based in Washington where Summers was a senior fellow, also announced on Monday that he was no longer affiliated with the organization.

Summers remains a board member of OpenAI, which he joined in 2023.

The email exchanges indicate frequent meetings between Summers and Epstein, often centered around influential connections. In one email, Summers advised Epstein to avoid associating Summers with Trump following the 2016 election.

Summers has expressed regret over his connections to Epstein, especially given the financier's criminal history. The fallout from the released emails corresponds with ongoing investigations into Epstein's relationships with high-profile political figures, including former President Clinton.

As the situation develops, the ramifications of Summers' past associations with Epstein continue to unfold.