Larry Summers has resigned from OpenAI’s board of directors following the release of thousands of emails revealing his years-long correspondence with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, marking another dramatic chapter in the ongoing fallout that has shaken his career and reputation.
The former US Treasury Secretary and president of Harvard tendered his resignation, around November 18-19, 2025, just days after announcing he would step back from public commitments. OpenAI’s board issued a brief statement saying they respect his decision and appreciate his contributions and perspective.
The resignation follows on the heels of the bombshell release of documents, which have shaken up academic, political, and tech circles. More than 20,000 documents from Epstein’s estate were published by the House Oversight Committee last week; the documents included extensive email exchanges between Summers and the disgraced financier.
The correspondence shows that Summers and Epstein were in touch as recently as 2019, more than ten years after Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting prostitution from a minor. Most of the messages in question were sent in the late 2010s and continued until July 5, 2019, one day prior to Epstein’s arrest and charges of sex trafficking of minors.
Summers Resigns From OpenAI, Expresses Shame Over ‘Poor Judgment’ in Epstein Exchanges
The content of these emails has drawn particular scrutiny. In one batch of emails, Summers sought Epstein’s advice on his relationship with an unnamed woman, with Epstein describing himself as a “pretty good wing man”. In another exchange, Summers lamented that men who “hit on” women in the workplace may suffer career repercussions.
The friendly tone and personal nature of the exchanges have raised serious questions about Summers’ judgment, particularly in view of his prominent positions in academia and finance during this period.
Summers released a statement Monday that he is “deeply ashamed” of the actions he has taken and he takes “full responsibility” for his poor judgment in continuing to stay in contact with Epstein. He said that he would be stepping away from most public roles but would continue teaching at Harvard University, where he is a professor.
The resignation from OpenAI is part of a broader retreat from public life. Summers joined OpenAI’s board in November 2023, part of an effort to restore stability at the San Francisco-based nonprofit and bring back CEO Sam Altman after he was fired days earlier by the previous board.
Larry Summers’ Ties to Jeffrey Epstein Trigger Fallout and Scrutiny
The fallout has been swift and widespread: The New York Times announced it would not renew Summers’ contract as a contributing opinion writer, the Center for American Progress ended his distinguished senior fellowship, and Yale University’s Budget Lab removed him from its advisory group.
The pressure has escalated to the highest echelons of American politics. Senator Elizabeth Warren has called on Harvard to fire Summers from his role, telling CNN that his willingness to maintain ties with a convicted sex offender shows “monumentally bad judgment”.
Harvard has announced that it will open a new investigation into Summers’ relationship with Epstein, revisiting an earlier review focused mainly on Epstein’s donations to the university.
Summers, 70, has had one of the most high-profile careers in American economic policy. He served as Treasury Secretary in the Clinton administration and was a top economic adviser in the Obama administration. He previously was president of Harvard University from 2001 until 2006, when he resigned amid multiple controversies.
To date, Summers has not been accused of engaging in any of Epstein’s allegedly criminal behavior. But the e-mails raise basic questions about Summers’s judgment, and the ethics that come with the territory when people hold positions of power and influence.
The timing is particularly significant for OpenAI, which has been dealing with its own turmoil amidst a race to develop artificial intelligence technology. Now, the company will face questions about its process for vetting board members and how it handles conflicts when those appointees carry big-name status.
The scandal is a stark reminder of how associations with Epstein continue to reverberate years after his death in a New York jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. For Summers, once considered one of America’s preeminent economists, the path forward remains uncertain.
