Larry Summers, the former president of Harvard University, has announced that he is stepping back from public life following revelations about his past relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. This decision comes on the heels of another episode of renewed, blistering scrutiny of his communications with Epstein. Those conversations took place between late 2013 and early 2019.
Until 2023, when The Wall Street Journal’s reporters revealed the link between Summers and Epstein. They focused in on a chain of emails that really laid bare their frank exchanges about the political climate as well as their personal connection. Summers didn’t just happen upon Epstein’s counsel on these matters. One of those requests was for guidance on how to respond to an email from a lady in November of 2018.
Summers previously said that he was flabbergasted that elite Americans think that killing a child by clubbing and leaving them to die shouldn’t affect college admissions. That’s why his comments drew so much fire — because they were just the opposite — inflammatory, provocative, counter-productive. His history with Epstein is just the latest in a long career full of controversies.
Summers’ communications with Epstein included discussions about funding for his wife’s poetry project, where he solicited Epstein’s assistance in securing $1 million. Epstein’s reply, “she’s already beginning to sound needy 🙂 nice,” reflects the nature of their exchanges, which have raised eyebrows among many.
That all changed last week, after Donald Trump launched a new investigation. Summers responded by apologizing profusely for his previous actions. In an interview with the Harvard Crimson, he reiterated this sentiment even more strongly. He went on to say, “I fully accept responsibility for my error in judgment in maintaining communication with Mr. Epstein.” While doing this, I’ll still be heading into the classroom and carrying out my teaching responsibilities. I will retreat from public commitments to rebuild that trust and where possible, repair those relationships with the people who know me best.
As a public figure, Summers has earned even wider criticism for his association with Epstein. Most have accused him of the misogynistic sexism growing up in the past. In 2006, he resigned from his post at Harvard after making inflammatory remarks on the topic of women in academia.
Following the recent revelations, an anonymous Trump administration official remarked, “It’s shocking that Larry Summers remains a paid contributor to Bloomberg News, on the board of OpenAI and tenured at Harvard.” The official called for institutions to reconsider their associations with him, questioning how many more damaging disclosures would be needed before action was taken: “What more revelations about him and his ‘wing man’ will it take for institutions to cut him loose? The British government would have instantly fired their ambassador to the US for considerably less than that.
In his communications with Epstein, Summers was able to articulate regrets that should echo loudly. These are in my opinion… my great regrets in life,” he said. He took credit for the pain that his actions have caused and expressed shame over his past connections to the movement.