Larry Summers to Retire from Harvard Following Scrutiny of Epstein Connections
Cambridge, Wednesday, 25 February 2026.
The former Treasury Secretary departs amid revelations of deep ties to Jeffrey Epstein, including emails seeking romantic advice and his designation as a successor executor in Epstein’s will.
Resignation and Immediate Departure from Leadership
On Wednesday, February 25, 2026, Larry Summers formally announced his decision to resign from his position as a tenured professor at Harvard University, effective at the end of the current academic year [1][2]. In conjunction with this announcement, Summers immediately stepped down from his leadership role as co-director of the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government at the Harvard Kennedy School, a resignation accepted by Dean Jeremy Weinstein [2][6]. Summers, who has been on leave from his teaching duties since November 2025, will not resume instruction or advise new students prior to his official retirement [1][6]. This move marks the conclusion of a decades-long relationship with the university, where he received his Ph.D. in 1982 and became one of its youngest tenured professors at age 28 [1].
Scrutiny of Personal Ties and Correspondence
The resignation follows an intensifying internal review by Harvard regarding Summers’ historical association with Jeffrey Epstein, fueled by the release of documents in late 2025 that indicated a closer relationship than previously disclosed [1][3]. While Summers had previously characterized his contact with Epstein as limited, emails released by House lawmakers and congressional committees revealed that the two communicated as recently as July 5, 2019, just one day before Epstein’s arrest on federal sex trafficking charges [1][4]. The correspondence included exchanges where Epstein described himself as Summers’ “wingman” and instances where Summers sought romantic advice regarding a woman he described as an “economics mentor” [3][4]. Furthermore, records from late December 2025 revealed that Summers was designated as a successor executor in a 2014 draft of Epstein’s will, though a spokesperson for Summers stated he had “absolutely no knowledge” of this inclusion [5].
Broader Professional Fallout
The revelations regarding the depth of Summers’ relationship with Epstein have precipitated consequences beyond the Harvard campus. Following the public release of the emails in November 2025, Summers resigned from the board of OpenAI [2][4]. Additionally, the American Economic Association has issued a lifetime ban against the former Treasury Secretary [5]. Despite these professional setbacks, no Epstein survivor has accused Summers of misconduct, and there is no public evidence implicating him in Epstein’s criminal activities [4]. In a statement addressing his departure, Summers expressed that he was “deeply ashamed” of his actions and acknowledged the pain caused by his “misguided decision” to maintain communication with Epstein [1][2].
Future Outlook
Summers, who served as Harvard’s president from 2001 to 2006 and held top economic posts under Presidents Clinton and Obama, intends to shift his focus away from academic administration [1]. In his statement on Wednesday, he noted that as a President Emeritus and retired professor, he looks forward to engaging in “research, analysis, and commentary on a range of global economic issues” free of formal institutional responsibilities [2][5]. Harvard officials confirmed that the university’s broader review of its historical ties to Epstein, including donations and other faculty connections, remains ongoing [3][5].