Harvard economist and former university president Larry Summers is under scrutiny after a batch of emails sent to Jeffrey Epstein surfaced, revealing that he sought romantic advice from the disgraced financier.
The House Oversight Committee released thousands of Epstein emails last week, and among them were messages from one of Harvard’s most prominent professors.
The exchanges, spanning 2013 to 2019, show Summers not only discussing politics and world events with Epstein but also turning to him for guidance on personal relationships.
Asking a Disgraced Financier for Love Advice
Summers, 70, appears to have leaned on Epstein for help navigating a complicated love life.
In one email from 2019, he described feeling like “the friend without benefits” in a relationship and asked Epstein for tips on how to respond to texts from the woman who had recently rejected him.
The emails are particularly striking because they came long after Epstein’s 2008 guilty plea for sex crimes against minors.
Harvard had also stopped accepting donations from Epstein by 2007 amid growing allegations against him.
Political Repercussions for Summers
The revelations have sparked political reactions.
Senator Elizabeth Warren called on Harvard to sever ties with Summers, questioning whether he should be in positions involving young students given his longstanding friendship with Epstein.
In an interview with CNN, Warren said, “I do not believe he can be trusted with young college students after maintaining such a close relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.”
Economics Meets Romance
One March 2019 email shows Summers analyzing his romantic interactions in classic economist style, weighing the “return” on the attention he gave a woman.
He fretted about investing his time without receiving any “reward,” writing, “I dint (sic) want to be in a gift giving competition while being the friend without benefits.”
Epstein responded by praising Summers’ restraint, noting that his lack of complaints showed strength.
Summers, in turn, lamented that the woman had chosen another man she was “really attracted” to, even though he deemed that man unsuitable as a partner.
Seeking Guidance on Texts
Other emails show Summers forwarding messages from women to Epstein, asking how he should respond.
In November 2018, for example, Summers sent a redacted email to Epstein and asked what to write back.
Epstein advised patience, noting that the woman was starting to seem “needy.”
In a separate instance from 2017, Summers vented to Epstein about men potentially being penalized for flirting or pursuing women years earlier, expressing frustration at social consequences for past behavior.
Summers Acknowledges Mistakes
On Wednesday, Summers told The Harvard Crimson that he regrets his association with Epstein. “I have great regrets in my life.
As I have said before, my association with Jeffrey Epstein was a major error of judgment,” he said.
Personal Life and Open Questions
Summers is married to Elisa New, a professor emerita of American Literature at Harvard.
It is unclear from the emails whether his requests for Epstein’s advice indicate infidelity or an unconventional arrangement in their marriage.
What’s Next
This story is unfolding, and updates are expected as more information becomes public.
Harvard and political figures are likely to respond further in the coming days.
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