What to know about Larry Summers, who has taken leave from Harvard due to Epstein emails
November 19, 2025
Larry Summers, once a prominent figure in Washington and academia, has stepped back from his teaching post at Harvard University. This decision follows the release of emails revealing his continued relationship with Jeffrey Epstein after Epstein’s 2008 guilty plea for soliciting prostitution from an underage girl. Summers, a former U.S. treasury secretary, expressed regret over his association with Epstein, calling it a “major error in judgment.” Summers has also resigned from the board of OpenAI and other organizations. His career has included significant roles in the Clinton administration and a controversial tenure as Harvard’s president.