Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Larry Summers announced his resignation from Harvard University this week, ending his decades-long academic career amid renewed scrutiny of his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. The decision comes as institutions globally face pressure to address associations with the late financier convicted of sex trafficking. 🎓⚖️
Summers, who served as Harvard's president from 2001-2006, stated he'll retire from teaching at the end of the 2025-2026 academic year. This follows last November's release of U.S. House Oversight Committee documents showing extensive private correspondence between Summers and Epstein.
"I am deeply ashamed of my past actions," Summers said in a statement, adding he plans to focus on repairing personal relationships. The announcement comes six months after Harvard placed him on leave from leadership roles and launched an internal review of Epstein-linked faculty.
University spokesperson Jason Newton confirmed Summers will remain on leave until his formal retirement. The controversy already cost Summers his board position at OpenAI last fall, showing how Epstein's shadow continues reshaping careers in 2026. 💻🚫
As students debate accountability in elite institutions, this development highlights ongoing tensions between academic legacy and ethical responsibility. Stay tuned for updates as Harvard concludes its review this spring.
