Larry Summers Says He Feels 'Shame' Over Epstein Communications and Steps Back from Public Roles

Larry Summers, the economist and former president of Harvard University, opened a recent economics lecture by saying he feels 'shame' over his communications with Jeffrey Epstein and announcing he will step back from public duties for a time.

A student-recorded TikTok captured Summers addressing the matter before class. He told students that he had issued a statement of regret about his communications with Epstein but emphasized the importance of fulfilling his teaching obligations.

'Some of you will have seen my statement of regret expressing my shame with respect to what I did in communication with Mr. Epstein and that I’ve said that I’m going to step back from public activity for a time,' Summers said. 'But it’s very important to fulfill my teaching obligations.'

Summers also resigned from the board of OpenAI amid the fallout. The comments followed the release by a House committee of years of personal emails exchanged between Summers and Epstein. The released correspondence, covering 2013–2019, includes messages in which Summers referred to Epstein as his 'wingman' and shows Epstein offering support to Summers through 2018. Some exchanges continued after Epstein's earlier conviction.

The university has launched an internal review of faculty members' connections to Epstein. A Harvard spokesperson said, 'the University is conducting a review of information concerning individuals at Harvard included in the newly released Jeffrey Epstein documents to evaluate what actions may be warranted.' The released documents also reference other Harvard-affiliated figures, including attorney Alan M. Dershowitz and English professor emerita Elisa F. New, who is married to Summers.

The disclosures have prompted sharp online criticism and renewed calls for accountability and transparency. Harvard and Summers did not immediately provide further comment beyond their initial statements.