Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Larry Summers has taken a sudden leave of absence from his teaching duties at Harvard University following the release of emails revealing his friendly association with Jeffrey Epstein, a spokesperson confirmed. Despite initially planning to continue teaching economics classes, Summers decided to step back not only from teaching but also from his role as director of the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government at the Harvard Kennedy School.
According to Summers’ spokesperson Steven Goldberg, he made this decision in the best interest of the Center as Harvard conducts a review. Colleagues will complete the remaining classes Summers was teaching this semester, and he is not scheduled to teach next semester. Harvard has been informed of Summers’ leave, with no clarity on his return in the upcoming term. The news of Summers’ leave was first reported by The Harvard Crimson.
Although Harvard did not mention Summers by name, they have initiated an investigation following the email revelations showing his continued relationship with Epstein after the latter’s criminal conviction in 2008. Criticism has been mounting against Summers for his decision to remain in his teaching position, with some students even recording his recent class where he emphasized the importance of continuing to teach.
In response to the escalating scrutiny, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren criticized Summers on social media for associating with convicted sex offenders and the powerful elite, questioning his trustworthiness in influential roles. Prior to his leave from Harvard, Summers also resigned from the board of OpenAI, known for developing ChatGPT, as part of his withdrawal from public commitments.
Summers expressed gratitude for his time on the OpenAI board and his excitement for the company’s future in a separate statement. He joined the board in November 2023 to aid in stabilizing the organization and reinstating Sam Altman as CEO after previous board members ousted Altman. Epstein, who died in 2019, was a notorious figure linked to influential individuals, sparking various theories and controversies about misconduct among the American elite.
Furthermore, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a bill into law on Wednesday evening, compelling the Justice Department to disclose its Epstein investigation files, despite his prior reluctance to do so. This legislative development aims to shed light on the inquiries into Epstein’s activities and connections.