Larry Summers announced his resignation from the OpenAI board of directors on Wednesday. The move follows the release of congressional documents that expose a close relationship between the former U.S. Treasury Secretary and the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Summers, who also served as president of Harvard University, stated on Monday that he intends to step away from all public commitments. He explained that he needs time to “rebuild trust and repair relationships” with the people closest to him.
Pressure mounted quickly after the U.S. House Oversight Committee released files detailing frequent correspondence between Summers and Epstein. In response, Harvard University confirmed on Wednesday that it will start a new probe into individuals named in the emails. While the university spokesperson did not specifically name Summers, he remains a professor at the institution.
OpenAI’s board accepted the resignation immediately. They issued a statement saying they respect his decision and appreciate the perspective he brought to the company. Summers had served on the board since late 2023, joining shortly after the company reinstated CEO Sam Altman.
The resignation happened just one day after a major political shift in Washington. The Republican-controlled Congress voted almost unanimously to force the release of Department of Justice files regarding Epstein. President Donald Trump had fought this release for months, but recently dropped his opposition.
Trump has since ordered the Justice Department to investigate ties between Epstein and various prominent Democrats. Reports suggest Trump is trying to shift focus away from his own past association with the sex offender. While Trump insists he had no connection to Epstein’s crimes, the scandal remains a political problem for him. Polls show that only 20% of Americans approve of his handling of the matter, and many voters believe the administration helped cover up details surrounding Epstein’s 2019 death in a Manhattan jail.
Summers, a Democrat who served in top economic roles for Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, holds other significant corporate positions. He currently sits on the board of the education technology firm Skillsoft and chairs the international advisory board for Santander.
