BOSTON (Diya TV) — Larry Summers has stepped down from his teaching duties at Harvard University as the school begins a review of his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. The former treasury secretary and past president of Harvard announced his decision Wednesday night. His move comes after thousands of newly released documents showed extensive communication between Summers and Epstein.

Harvard officials confirmed that the university will review all information linked to faculty members named in the new Epstein documents. The documents were released by the House Oversight Committee last week. They include more than 20,000 records from Epstein’s estate. A Harvard spokesman told the student newspaper, The Crimson, that the school is evaluating whether “any actions may be warranted.” Harvard has not offered further public comment.

Summers will not teach for the rest of the semester. His co-teachers will handle the remaining classes. He is also not scheduled to teach in the spring. Summers will take leave from his role as director of the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government at the Harvard Kennedy School.

The documents show that Summers and Epstein exchanged emails for years. They communicated as recently as 2019. The messages continued until July 5, 2019, one day before Epstein was arrested on sex-trafficking charges. Some messages show Summers asking Epstein for personal advice. In one exchange, Epstein called himself a “pretty good wing man.” In another, Summers spoke about men who “hit on” women in the workplace and face career fallout.

Summers has not been accused of taking part in any criminal behavior. Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting prostitution from a minor and was later charged in 2019 with sex trafficking of minors. He died in federal custody that same year.

Summers also resigned Wednesday from the board of directors at OpenAI. He joined the company in late 2023. Summers said the resignation aligns with his decision to step away from public commitments. OpenAI thanked him for his service and said it respected his choice.

Earlier this week, Summers said he was “deeply ashamed” of his past actions. He said he regrets staying in contact with Epstein and takes “full responsibility” for the choices he made. He said he planned to continue teaching at Harvard at that time, before the updated announcement.

Two major news organizations have also parted ways with Summers. The New York Times said it will not renew his contract as a contributing writer. Bloomberg confirmed he is no longer a paid contributor. Summers appeared often on Bloomberg’s program “Wall Street Week,” which aired in the United States and abroad.

The release of the documents has sparked political reactions. President Donald Trump has pointed to Summers’ communications with Epstein. Trump said he will ask Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate Epstein’s ties to prominent Democrats, including Summers and former President Bill Clinton.
Bondi responded by assigning U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton to review the matter. Trump, who appears in the documents himself, has denied any wrongdoing and said he cut ties with Epstein in the early 2000s.

Harvard now faces increasing public pressure to clarify its oversight of faculty relationships with Epstein. The university has dealt with questions about Epstein’s donations and connections for years. The new documents intensify those concerns.
The school has not announced a timeline for its review. Summers’ decision to step back marks one of the most significant actions taken by the university since the release of the documents.

Summers served as Harvard’s president from 2001 to 2006. He later worked as Treasury Secretary under President Bill Clinton and as a top economic adviser to President Barack Obama. His long career in academia, government and the private sector is now under renewed scrutiny as the investigation unfolds.