Ask Onix
Larry Summers withdraws from public commitments amid Epstein fallout
Former Harvard president and U.S. Treasury Secretary Larry Summers announced Monday he would reduce public engagements after emails exchanged with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein were made public, admitting he was "deeply ashamed" of the correspondence.
Summers, who served under Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, issued a statement to CBS News acknowledging the "pain" caused by his continued communication with Epstein, which persisted until the day before Epstein's 2019 arrest for sex trafficking minors. The emails, released by Congress last week, reveal frequent interactions, including proposed meetings with global figures.
Congress to vote on full Epstein file release
On Tuesday, the U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote on releasing all remaining documents related to Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial. The move follows a Department of Justice (DOJ) announcement that it would investigate Epstein's ties to Clinton and other prominent Democrats, a decision urged by then-President Donald Trump.
The DOJ probe also targets LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman, banks JPMorgan Chase and Deutsche Bank, and other high-profile individuals connected to Epstein. Trump, though mentioned in the emails, has denied any wrongdoing and claimed Epstein's crimes were "the Democrat's problem."
"Epstein was a Democrat, and he is the Democrat's problem, not the Republican's problem! They all know about him, don't waste your time with Trump. I have a Country to run!"
Donald Trump, via social media
Summers' ties to Epstein under scrutiny
The released emails show Summers and Epstein discussing potential introductions to influential figures, including a 2018 proposal to meet the "president [sic] of united nations." In a 2016 exchange, Summers advised Epstein to avoid associating him with Trump, citing the then-president-elect's "approach to conflict of interest" and foreign policy stances.
Summers, who led Harvard from 2001 to 2006, stated he would focus on "rebuilding trust" while continuing his teaching duties. The Center for American Progress, a Washington-based think tank, confirmed his departure as a senior fellow. His status at OpenAI, where he joined the board in 2023, remains unclear; neither Summers nor OpenAI has commented on his future role.
Clinton denies knowledge of Epstein's crimes
Bill Clinton, a longtime associate of Epstein, has repeatedly denied awareness of the financier's illegal activities. The emails do not implicate Trump directly, though his name appears in over 1,600 of the 2,324 released threads. Trump has maintained he cut ties with Epstein before his 2008 conviction for soliciting an underage prostitute.
Next steps in the investigation
The DOJ's expanded inquiry follows years of speculation about Epstein's network, which included politicians, academics, and business leaders. The House vote on document disclosure could reveal further details about the scope of his influence.
