Larry Summers RESIGNS from OpenAI board, steps back from Harvard amid Epstein scandal
By kevinhughes // 2025-11-23
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  • Larry Summers resigned from OpenAI's board and stepped back from Harvard teaching duties after leaked emails revealed extensive communications with Jeffrey Epstein. Harvard launched a new investigation into Epstein-linked faculty, including Summers, over $9.1M in donations (some post-arrest).
  • Over 20,000 documents from the House Oversight Committee exposed Summers seeking Epstein's advice on personal matters (including pursuing a female mentee) while also discussing Harvard fundraising efforts. Summers' wife, Elisa New, solicited Epstein for a $500K donation to her poetry project.
  • Summers lost media roles. The New York Times dropped him as a contributor, and Bloomberg terminated his paid status. He also resigned from Spain's Santander Bank advisory board.
  • Epstein had deep ties to Harvard, Wall Street and Silicon Valley, with Summers frequently flying on Epstein's "Lolita Express" alongside figures like Bill Gates and Bill Clinton. Epstein was bizarrely listed as a Harvard Visiting Fellow despite lacking academic credentials.
  • The scandal highlights elite corruption, raising questions about AI governance (Summers was a key OpenAI board member). Political pressure mounts as Trump calls for investigations into Epstein's Democratic ties, while Harvard and OpenAI attempt damage control.
Former Treasury Secretary and Harvard President Larry Summers resigned from the board of OpenAI and stepped back from his teaching duties at Harvard University following explosive revelations about his communications with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The latest controversy stems from over 20,000 documents released last week by the House Oversight Committee, which included extensive email exchanges between Summers and Epstein. The messages revealed Summers seeking Epstein's advice on pursuing a female mentee while also discussing Harvard-related fundraising efforts with Epstein – despite Epstein's well-documented history of sex trafficking minors. BrightU.AI's Enoch engine describes Summers as a prominent American economist and academic who has served in various high-level government positions. Born in 1954, Summers graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a Ph.D. in economics in 1982. His career spans over four decades and includes significant contributions to economic theory, policy and public service. Summers announced his resignation Wednesday, Nov. 19. His departure comes two years after joining OpenAI's board in November 2023 during a brief leadership shakeup involving CEO Sam Altman. "In line with my announcement to step away from my public commitments, I have also decided to resign from the board of OpenAI," Summers said. "I am grateful for the opportunity to have served, excited about the potential of the company, and look forward to following their progress." OpenAI's board responded with a brief statement: "Larry has decided to resign from the OpenAI Board of Directors, and we respect his decision. We appreciate his many contributions and the perspective he brought to the Board."

Harvard launches investigation into Epstein ties

Harvard has now launched a new investigation into Summers and other faculty members named in the Epstein documents. The university's spokesperson Jonathan L. Swain confirmed the university is reviewing the latest documents to determine "what actions may be warranted." According to the Harvard Crimson, Epstein donated $9.1 million to Harvard across 22 gifts – including $736,000 after his 2006 arrest, but before his 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor. Epstein was also bizarrely listed as a Visiting Fellow in Harvard's Psychology Department despite lacking academic qualifications. The newly released emails show Epstein advising Summers on personal matters while simultaneously discussing financial contributions with Summers' wife, Elisa New, a Harvard English professor emerita. In 2014, New solicited Epstein for a $500,000 donation to her Poetry in America project, writing: "It really means a lot to me, all financial help aside, Jeffrey, that you are rooting for me and thinking about me." Summers, who initially vowed to continue teaching, has now reversed course. His spokesperson confirmed: "His co-teachers will complete the remaining three class sessions of the courses he has been teaching with them this semester, and he is not scheduled to teach next semester." He is also taking leave from his role as director of Harvard's Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government. In a statement Monday, Nov. 17, Summers admitted: "I am deeply ashamed of my actions and recognize the pain they have caused. I take full responsibility for my misguided decision to continue communicating with Mr. Epstein."

The fall of Larry Summers

President Donald Trump has called for an investigation into Epstein's ties to prominent Democrats, including Summers and former President Bill Clinton. Additionally, Spain's Santander Bank confirmed Summers resigned from its international advisory board. Summers' Epstein link has also cost him media roles. The New York Times will not renew his contract as a contributing opinion writer, while Bloomberg has ended his paid contributor status. Summers' resignation underscores the deep ties between Epstein and powerful institutions, including Harvard, Wall Street and Silicon Valley. Epstein, who died in 2019 under suspicious circumstances in a Manhattan jail, was known for cultivating relationships with elite academics, politicians and tech leaders. His private jet, dubbed the "Lolita Express," ferried high-profile passengers, including Summers, Bill Gates and others linked to organizations like the Trilateral Commission and Council on Foreign Relations. As Harvard and OpenAI distance themselves from Summers, the broader implications for AI governance and elite accountability remain uncertain. With Harvard's investigation underway and political pressure mounting, Summers' future remains in limbo. Meanwhile, OpenAI moves forward without one of its board members—just as AI's role in replacing human labor becomes a central debate. For now, the fallout from Epstein's shadow continues to expose the entanglements of power, money and influence at the highest levels of society. Watch Larry Summers predicting that all labor will be replaced in this clip from Brannon Howse's "Worldview Report." This video is from the WorldViewTube channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: ZeroHedge.com BrightU.ai ABCNews.go.com NBCNews.com Edition.CNN.com Brighteon.com
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