Harvard professor Larry Summers is acknowledging what he described as a profound leadership breakdown regarding the university’s past ties to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein in his resignation from the Ivy League university. Summers previously served as the Treasury Secretary and Harvard University President – before he left that post amid an unrelated controversy.
Th Harvard professor called his university’s connection to Epstein “a terrible failure of leadership,” directly addressing mounting criticism over the university’s past acceptance of donations from the convicted s-x offender.
Larry Summers said he remained “grateful to the thousands of students and colleagues I have been privileged to teach and work with since coming to Harvard as a graduate student 50 years ago. “Free of formal responsibility, as President Emeritus and a retired professor, I look forward in time to engaging in research, analysis, and commentary on a range of global economic issues,” the Harvard professor added.
Larry Summers, who served as Treasury Secretary under President Bill Clinton before leading Harvard from 2001 to 2006 and later returning as a professor, did not mince words in assessing the situation. “It was a terrible failure of leadership,” he said, reflecting on how the institution handled its association with Epstein.
He served as Harvard’s president from 2001 until 2006, stepping down before completing his term after faculty backlash and a no-confidence vote tied to controversial remarks about women in science and engineering. He later returned to the university as a professor.
The admission from the Harvard professor comes as elite universities continue facing scrutiny for past financial relationships with Epstein, who pleaded guilty in 2008 to state charges involving solicitation of prostitution from a minor and later died in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
Larry Summers emphasized that the university’s actions in maintaining ties with Jeffrey Epstein after his 2008 conviction were deeply problematic. “The fact that the university had a relationship with him after his conviction was a terrible mistake,” Summers acknowledged.
Harvard has previously disclosed that it received millions of dollars in donations from Epstein, including funds directed toward research initiatives. The university has since pledged to donate an equivalent amount to organizations supporting victims of sexual abuse.
Larry Summers’ comments represent one of the more direct acknowledgments from a high-ranking former official regarding Harvard’s role in the controversy. The Harvard professor indicated that the institution failed to uphold the standards expected of it.
The Beginning of The End 💥
FEBRUARY RESIGNATIONS
ALL WITH TIES TO EPSTEIN
👉🏼 Børge Brende
World Economic Forum (WEF) President and CEO
👉🏼 Peter Lord Mandelson
House of Lords
Former UK Ambassador to the US
Arrested > Feb 23
👉🏼 Larry Summers
Harvard University Professor
Former… pic.twitter.com/qd31ZcGNqv
— LisaBPepper 🇺🇸 (@LisaBPepper) February 26, 2026
Summers framed the episode as a cautionary lesson about institutional accountability. “It was wrong,” he said, underscoring that leaders must exercise greater vigilance when evaluating donors. Harvard’s internal reviews previously concluded that Epstein donated at least $9 million to the university, some of which came after his criminal conviction.
The Harvard professor has previously said he regretted meeting with Epstein after the 2008 conviction. In his latest remarks, he reinforced that those interactions were inappropriate in hindsight.
“I regret being in contact with him after his conviction,” Larry Summers said, reiterating that such associations should never have occurred.
Harvard has faced lawsuits and investigations tied to its historical links with Epstein, as public pressure mounted for greater transparency. The university has stated that it has implemented stricter donor review processes in response to the scandal.
Ex-Treasury Secretary Larry Summers Resigns From Harvard Over Epstein Tieshttps://t.co/OJjbE4rem2 pic.twitter.com/omtCJusCZg
— Forbes (@Forbes) February 25, 2026
Summers’ acknowledgment aligns with broader calls for accountability within elite academic institutions. His remarks signal a recognition that the university’s prestige does not shield it from serious lapses in judgment.
Epstein’s network of connections spanned academia, finance, and politics, raising questions about how institutions assessed reputational risks tied to his involvement. The blunt characterization of the situation by the Harvard professor as a “terrible failure of leadership” underscores the magnitude of the controversy, particularly for a university long regarded as one of the most influential educational institutions in the world.
The fallout from Epstein’s crimes continues to reverberate across institutions that once accepted his financial support. Harvard, along with other universities, remains under scrutiny over how such relationships were allowed to persist.
The remarks by the Harvard professor place renewed attention on the decisions made during and after his tenure, as critics continue pressing for full accountability and institutional reform.
