'Deeply ashamed': Lawrence Summers steps back from public commitments after Epstein scandal

Former US Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers announced on Monday that he will step back from public commitments following revelations that he sought advice from convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein on how to pursue an extramarital relationship with a female mentee, Financial Review reported. 

The documents released from Epstein's estate last week revealed that Summers, in 2018 and 2019, asked Epstein how to pursue a relationship with the woman, codenamed "peril." 

Summers, who served as the Treasury Secretary under Bill Clinton and later became the President of Harvard University, expressed deep regret over his actions. 

"I am deeply ashamed of my actions and recognise the pain they have caused. I will be stepping back from public commitments as one part of my broader effort to rebuild trust and repair relationships with the people closest to me," Summers told Crimson. 

Summers acknowledged his "misguided" decision to stay in contact with Epstein, a man he has previously called "a regrettable connection," and added that he would continue his role as a teacher while withdrawing from the public eye.

His statement follows growing pressure from political figures, including Senator Elizabeth Warren, who demanded that Harvard University sever its ties with Summers. Warren, a former law professor at Harvard, slammed the former Treasury Secretary's relationship with Epstein, saying, "This showed monumental bad judgment. He cannot be trusted to advise our nation’s politicians, policymakers, and institutions—or teach a generation of students at Harvard or anywhere else."

Summers served as former President Bill Clinton's Treasury Secretary and former President Barack Obama's National Economic Council director. He currently serves on the board of OpenAI and as a director of the Harvard Kennedy School’s Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government.

Summers' decision to step back comes amidst renewed scrutiny over Epstein's high-profile connections. Documents released last week also revealed disturbing details about Epstein's relationships with senior political and business figures, including US President Donald Trump, billionaire Leon Black, and former British royal Prince Andrew. 

A document revealed that Trump had spent hours at Epstein's house with a woman later identified as a victim of sex trafficking. 

In the wake of Summers' admission, Trump called for a Department of Justice investigation into Epstein's connections with prominent Democrats, including former President Bill Clinton and Summers himself. "We have nothing to do with Epstein. The Democrats do," Trump told reporters on Monday.

Summers had already faced criticism for his past relationship with Epstein, who died in 2019 while in jail.