Larry Summers, the former Treasury Secretary and Harvard bigwig, has just walked away from OpenAI’s board under a cloud of scandal tied to none other than Jeffrey Epstein.
This bombshell resignation on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, caps a whirlwind of criticism over Summers’ documented connections to the convicted sex offender, revealed through a massive dump of emails that have left institutions and commentators reeling.
The drama kicked off last week when the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee unleashed over 20,000 pages of documents from Epstein’s estate, shining a harsh light on ties to various high-profile figures.
Among the revelations were thousands of emails showing Summers in regular contact with Epstein, even after the latter’s 2008 conviction for crimes that shocked the nation.
These exchanges, stretching right up to the eve of Epstein’s 2019 arrest, covered everything from personal chit-chat to Summers seeking advice and even discussing a woman he was interested in—a level of coziness that’s raised more than a few eyebrows.
Critics, including prominent Democrats, have slammed Summers for what they call a staggering lapse in judgment, arguing that associating with someone of Epstein’s notorious record, especially given his history of exploiting minors, is indefensible.
Just days before his OpenAI exit, Summers announced a step back from all public commitments, clearly feeling the heat from the email fallout.
The backlash was swift—several respected organizations, including the Yale Budget Lab, the Hamilton Project, and the Center for American Progress, cut ties with him, while the Center for Global Development saw him resign as board chair.
Even the New York Times got in on the act, opting not to renew Summers’ opinion contract, and a planned webinar with the Economic Club of New York was abruptly postponed this week.
House Republicans have pointed to these documents as a window into Epstein’s web of influence among political, academic, and media elites, suggesting there’s more to uncover.
President Trump, himself under scrutiny for past Epstein connections, didn’t miss a chance to pivot, declaring his administration would dig into links between Epstein and Democrats like Summers and former President Bill Clinton.
Meanwhile, Harvard, where Summers intends to keep teaching economics, stayed mum on his status, leaving many to wonder if the university will face pressure to act.
In a statement to CNBC, Summers tried to keep things classy, saying, “I am grateful for the opportunity to have served, excited about the potential of the company, and look forward to following their progress.”
Grateful or not, it’s hard to see this as anything but damage control—when your name is tied to Epstein in 20,000 pages of emails, “following progress” from a distance is probably the safest bet.
OpenAI’s board, for its part, offered a diplomatic nod, stating, “We appreciate his many contributions and the perspective he brought to the Board,” though one has to wonder if they’re just as relieved to see this chapter close.
