Former Harvard University president and U.S. Treasury Secretary Larry Summers will resign from his teaching position at the end of the current academic year, following scrutiny over his connections to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The decision comes as the university continues a review of documents related to Epstein that were recently released by the government.
Summers announced in November 2025 that he would step back from teaching while Harvard conducted its investigation into his relationship with Epstein. He will also relinquish his role as co-director of the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government at the Harvard Kennedy School, a position he has held since 2011. According to a statement released by Harvard spokesperson Jason Newton, the resignation is “in connection with the ongoing review” of the Epstein documents.
While Summers has not been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein, the released documents revealed a closer relationship than previously acknowledged. Correspondence between the two reportedly continued until the day before Epstein’s arrest in 2019, according to the BBC.
“I have made the difficult decision to retire from my Harvard professorship at the end of this academic year,” Summers said in a statement obtained by CNBC. “I will always be grateful to the thousands of students and colleagues I have been privileged to teach and work with since coming to Harvard as a graduate student 50 years ago.”
He added, “Free of formal responsibility, as President Emeritus and a retired professor, I look forward in time to engaging in research, analysis, and commentary on a range of global economic issues.”
Summers served as president of Harvard University from 2005 to 2006, and prior to that, as U.S. Treasury Secretary under President Bill Clinton from 1999 to 2001. He also held the position of chief economist at the World Bank. More recently, he was a board member at OpenAI, but resigned from that role in November 2025 following the revelations surrounding his ties to Epstein.
The ongoing scrutiny of Summers is part of a broader wave of repercussions stemming from the release of the Epstein files. The documents have implicated numerous high-profile individuals, including royals, diplomats, business leaders, and politicians, in connections to the convicted sex offender.
The release of the files has prompted investigations and renewed attention to Epstein’s network and alleged crimes. The case continues to unfold, with further revelations expected as more information comes to light.
