Following the release of extensive Jeffrey Epstein files by the House Oversight Committee, former Harvard President and U.S. Treasury Secretary Larry Summers has stepped back from public roles amid revelations of his close and troubling correspondence with Epstein. The emails, spanning late 2018 to mid-2019, expose Summers turning to Epstein for personal advice on pursuing a romantic relationship with a woman he described as a mentee, highlighting a stark lapse in judgment given Epstein’s 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor.
The email exchanges reveal Summers, who was married at the time, detailing his frustrations and conflicted feelings about the woman’s reluctance to deepen their relationship. In one March 2019 message, Summers wrote, “I said what are you up to. She said ‘I’m busy’. I said awfully coy u are,” to which Epstein replied, “Shes smart. –making you pay for past errors.” Epstein positioned himself as Summers’ “wing man,” even encouraging him to maintain patience and a “long game” approach amid tensions.
These revelations surfaced just months before Epstein faced new federal charges in July 2019 and died by suicide in August. Summers continued interacting frequently with Epstein despite the growing public outcry and media scrutiny surrounding Epstein’s predatory crimes.
In addition to discussing personal relationships, some emails show Summers commenting on the #MeToo movement and workplace dynamics. Summers was candid about his views on women’s intelligence and workplace penalties for men “hitting on” women. One 2017 email included a remark that “half the IQ in world was possessed by women without mentioning they are more than 51 percent of population…,”.
Summers addressed the situation in a statement, expressing “great regrets” and labeling his association with Epstein as a major error in judgment. Despite no evidence implicating Summers directly in Epstein’s crimes, the scandal has severely damaged his reputation and led to calls for Harvard to sever ties with him. Senator Elizabeth Warren condemned Summers’ choice to maintain close ties with Epstein after his conviction, stating this demonstrated “monumentally bad judgment” and questioned his suitability to advise policymakers or teach future generations.
Harvard has initiated a new investigation into Summers’ ties to Epstein, and Summers has also resigned from his position on the OpenAI board in light of the controversy. The Epstein email revelations continue to reverberate, raising broader questions about accountability among prominent figures who maintained associations with Epstein long after his offenses became public.
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