Former Harvard President Larry Summers Resigns Amid Epstein Ties

Summers to step down from teaching role at the end of current academic year following scrutiny over connections to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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Former Harvard University president and U.S. Treasury Secretary Larry Summers will resign from his teaching position at the end of the current academic year, following scrutiny over his connections to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The decision comes as the university continues a review of documents related to Epstein that were recently released by the government.

Why it matters

The ongoing scrutiny of Summers' ties to Epstein is part of a broader wave of repercussions stemming from the release of the Epstein files, which have implicated numerous high-profile individuals in connections to the convicted sex offender. Summers' resignation highlights the continued fallout from the Epstein scandal and the pressure on institutions and individuals with links to the disgraced financier.

The details

Summers announced in November 2025 that he would step back from teaching while Harvard conducted its investigation into his relationship with Epstein. He will also relinquish his role as co-director of the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government at the Harvard Kennedy School, a position he has held since 2011. Correspondence between Summers and Epstein reportedly continued until the day before Epstein's arrest in 2019, according to the BBC.

  • Summers announced his resignation in November 2025.
  • Summers will step down from his teaching position at the end of the current academic year.

The players

Larry Summers

Former Harvard University president and U.S. Treasury Secretary who is resigning from his teaching position at the end of the current academic year following scrutiny over his connections to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Jeffrey Epstein

The late convicted sex offender whose recently released files have implicated numerous high-profile individuals, including Summers, in connections to him.

Harvard University

The institution that is conducting an investigation into Summers' relationship with Epstein and has accepted Summers' resignation from his teaching position.

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What they’re saying

“I have made the difficult decision to retire from my Harvard professorship at the end of this academic year. I will always be grateful to the thousands of students and colleagues I have been privileged to teach and work with since coming to Harvard as a graduate student 50 years ago.”

— Larry Summers (CNBC)

“Free of formal responsibility, as President Emeritus and a retired professor, I look forward in time to engaging in research, analysis, and commentary on a range of global economic issues.”

— Larry Summers (CNBC)

What’s next

Harvard University will continue its investigation into Summers' connections to Jeffrey Epstein as part of the broader scrutiny surrounding the release of the Epstein files.

The takeaway

Summers' resignation from Harvard highlights the ongoing fallout from the Epstein scandal and the pressure on institutions and individuals with ties to the disgraced financier. The case continues to unfold, with further revelations expected as more information comes to light.