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Larry Summers Banned for Life by American Economic Association After Epstein Emails

08:23 AM, 12/03/2025
Larry Summers Banned for Life by American Economic Association After Epstein Emails

The American Economic Association has permanently banned Larry Summers and accepted his resignation after emails revealed a continued friendly correspondence with Jeffrey Epstein following Epstein's conviction. The messages include exchanges about Summers pursuing a romantic relationship and show communications between Epstein and Summers' wife, Elisa New. Summers is on leave from Harvard and has lost affiliations with several policy and research groups; he expressed "great regrets" and called the association a "major error in judgment."

The American Economic Association has banned former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers for life after recently released emails showed he maintained a friendly correspondence with Jeffrey Epstein following Epstein's conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor.

"The AEA condemns Mr. Summers' conduct, as reflected in publicly reported communications, as fundamentally inconsistent with its standards of professional integrity and with the trust placed in mentors within the economics profession."

Details in the emails

The released messages include exchanges in which Summers appeared to seek Epstein's advice about pursuing a romantic relationship with a woman who regarded him as an "economic mentor." In one message dated Nov. 30, 2018, Epstein wrote,

"im a pretty good wing man , no?"
The following day Summers wrote that he had texted the woman and "had something brief to say to her," adding that he was unsure whether to thank her or apologize for being married: "I think the former."

Summers' wife, Elisa New, also exchanged emails with Epstein. In a 2015 message she thanked him for arranging financial support for a poetry project she directs.

Professional consequences

The AEA said it accepted Summers' resignation and has barred him from attending, speaking at, or otherwise participating in its events. Following the email disclosures, Summers went on leave from teaching at Harvard and stepped aside as director of the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government at the Harvard Kennedy School. Other organizations that cut ties include the Center for American Progress, the Center for Global Development and the Budget Lab at Yale.

Context

Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender who authorities say died by suicide in jail in 2019, cultivated relationships with wealthy and powerful figures, which has fueled public scrutiny and outrage. Summers served as U.S. Treasury secretary from 1999 to 2001 and was president of Harvard University from 2001 to 2006.

When questioned about the email revelations, Summers said he has "great regrets in my life" and called his association with Epstein a "major error in judgment." A spokesperson for Summers declined to comment further.

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