Ex-Harvard president Larry Summers quits public roles amid Epstein emails: ‘I am deeply ashamed of my actions’

Former US Treasury Secretary and former Harvard President Lawrence Summers announced on Monday (November 17) that he would be "stepping back from public commitments" following the release of communication documents between him and the late convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein.

Summers, a current Harvard University Professor, stated that while he will "continu[e] to fulfill my teaching obligations," the withdrawal from public roles is "one part of my broader effort to rebuild trust and repair relationships with the people closest to me."

Summers’ acknowledgment and responsibility

In his public statement to the media, Summers expressed deep remorse over his communication with Epstein.

He used strong language to convey his regret:

"I am deeply ashamed of my actions and recognize the pain they have caused."

"I take full responsibility for my misguided decision to continue communicating with Mr. Epstein."

Context of released documents

The correspondence was made public by US lawmakers—specifically, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform—who released over 20,000 documents from Epstein’s estate last week.

The documents revealed that Summers and Epstein continued to exchange messages until July 5, 2019—just one day before Epstein’s arrest on new sex-trafficking charges. Epstein later died by suicide in prison in August 2019. The exchanges included discussions on topics such as President Donald Trump.

Remaining academic commitments

Despite stepping back from public commitments, Summers confirmed he will maintain his primary roles at Harvard. He holds Harvard’s highest faculty distinction as a University Professor and serves as the director of the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government at the Harvard Kennedy School, a position he will continue to hold.

Political and academic fallout

The disclosure of the communications has led to immediate calls for further action against Summers. Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren (MA), a former Harvard Law School professor, publicly stated that Harvard University should "cut ties with Summers," arguing that his past relationship with Epstein means he cannot be trusted with students.