Ex Harvard President Larry Summers Steps Back From Public Role

Hadisur Rahman, JadeTimes Staff

H. Rahman is a Jadetimes news reporter covering the USA

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Image Source: REUTERS

Former Harvard University president and Treasury Secretary Larry Summers has announced he will be stepping back from his public commitments following the release of his emails with the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. In a statement to CBS News, Summers expressed deep shame for his actions and acknowledged the pain they have caused.

The emails, made public last week by a House committee, reveal that Summers maintained communication with Epstein up until the day before Epstein's 2019 arrest for alleged sex trafficking of minors. Summers, who served as Treasury Secretary under former President Bill Clinton and director of the National Economic Council under former President Barack Obama, also held the presidency of Harvard from 2001 to 2006, where he currently remains a professor.

Summers' statement on Monday emphasized his full responsibility for his misguided decision to continue communicating with Epstein. He stated his desire to rebuild trust and repair relationships, adding that while he will continue his teaching obligations, he will be withdrawing from public commitments as part of this effort. In a related development, the Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank where Summers was a senior fellow, announced his disaffiliation on Monday. His status on the board of ChatGPT maker OpenAI, which he joined in 2023, remains unclear.

The release of these emails coincides with a broader push for transparency regarding Epstein related files. On Tuesday, House members are expected to vote on a measure calling for the release of all unpublicized Epstein documents. If passed, the measure would proceed to the Senate and require the approval of President Donald Trump.

This comes as the US Department of Justice recently announced an investigation into Epstein's involvement and relationships with former President Bill Clinton and several other prominent Democrats, spurred by a request from Trump. Clinton has vehemently denied any knowledge of Epstein's crimes. Trump, also mentioned in the emails, has consistently denied any wrongdoing and stated he severed contact with Epstein years before his 2008 conviction. The newly released emails do not imply any wrongdoing on Trump's part.