The National Bureau of Economic Research has ended its affiliation with Larry Summers, the former Treasury secretary and Harvard University president, according to reports.

The Wall Street Journal reported that NBER President James Poterba sent an email stating that Summers was no longer associated with the organization. The NBER is considered America's leading economics research institution.

Summers previously served as Treasury Secretary under President Bill Clinton from 1999 to 2001 and as president of Harvard University from 2001 to 2006. He also held senior economic advisory roles in the Obama administration.

The separation comes amid ongoing scrutiny of Summers' past relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Epstein died in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

Summers has faced questions about his connections to Epstein, including meetings and financial ties that have drawn criticism from various quarters. The exact details of the NBER's decision-making process regarding the affiliation change were not immediately available.

The NBER, founded in 1920, conducts economic research and is known for officially determining when U.S. recessions begin and end.