Ex-Harvard president Larry Summers stops teaching as university investigates Epstein emails

November 20, 2025

Harvard professor Larry Summers is taking leave from teaching and stepping down as director of a Kennedy School center while the university investigates connections between Epstein and Harvard affiliates. Recently released congressional documents revealed Summers maintained email contact with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein until just before Epstein's 2019 arrest, including exchanges where Epstein acted as Summers' "wing man" for romantic advice and facilitated meetings with influential people. Though no evidence links Summers to Epstein's crimes, the prominent economist—who previously served as Harvard president and US Treasury Secretary—has expressed regret over continuing communication with Epstein.

Who is affected

Larry Summers (Harvard professor, former Treasury Secretary, and former Harvard president)
Harvard University and the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government
Students enrolled in Summers' classes at Harvard
OpenAI (artificial intelligence company)
The Center for American Progress (liberal think tank)

What action is being taken

Harvard University is conducting a review of individuals at Harvard included in the newly released Jeffrey Epstein documents
Summers is stopping teaching and stepping back as director of the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government
Co-teachers are completing the remaining three class sessions of Summers' courses this semester
Summers has resigned from OpenAI's board

Why it matters

This matters because it involves a highly prominent economist and former government official who held influential positions including US Treasury Secretary, Harvard president, and board member of a major AI company. The revelation that Summers maintained contact with a convicted sex offender until immediately before his arrest for alleged sex trafficking raises questions about judgment and accountability among elite academic and political circles. The case highlights ongoing scrutiny of Epstein's extensive network of connections with powerful figures and institutions.

What's next

Congress passed a measure requiring the US Justice Department to release its files on Epstein, potentially releasing tens of thousands more documents
President Donald Trump signed this bill on Wednesday
Harvard's investigation is ongoing

Read full article from source: BBC