Larry Summers has resigned from the OpenAI board after newly released congressional documents revealed his close relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. The former U.S. Treasury Secretary said the decision followed his move to “step back from all public commitments” to rebuild trust with those closest to him.
Summers, who also served as president of Harvard University, has faced growing criticism since the House Oversight Committee disclosed an extended correspondence between him and Epstein. Harvard’s student newspaper reported that the university will now open a new inquiry into his past interactions with the late convicted sex offender.
OpenAI confirmed his exit, saying, “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.” Summers joined the board in late 2023, shortly after the brief and dramatic ousting of CEO Sam Altman.
The tech company now faces renewed attention as it navigates complex governance issues amid rapid expansion in the artificial intelligence sector. The move was first reported by Axios and adds to a series of high-profile shakeups across Silicon Valley this year.
Congress Pressure Mounts Over Epstein Files
Summers’ resignation came one day after Congress voted almost unanimously to force the release of long-withheld Justice Department files on Epstein. President Donald Trump, who had opposed the release for months before reversing course, recently instructed the DOJ to investigate his own and other Democrats’ ties to Epstein.
Trump has said repeatedly that he had no involvement in Epstein’s crimes, even as he seeks to shift attention away from his long-documented association with the disgraced financier. The Epstein scandal has weighed heavily on Trump’s political standing, pushing his approval rating down to 38% in a Reuters/Ipsos poll, with only 20% of Americans supporting his handling of the issue.
Political Fallout Extends Beyond Washington
Many Trump supporters believe his administration concealed Epstein’s connections to powerful figures and hid details surrounding Epstein’s 2019 death, which authorities ruled a suicide. The narrative has fueled conspiracy theories that have become central to political debates and public distrust.
Summers, a Democrat who served under Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, remains a prominent figure in global finance with board roles at Skillsoft and Santander. Yet the latest revelations threaten to overshadow his ongoing work and reshape his public legacy at a moment when political, academic, and tech institutions are under heightened pressure for transparency.
