The Fallout at Davos
Børge Brende, CEO and president of the World Economic Forum, announced his resignation roughly a month after the WEF hosted its annual gathering in Davos. The Epstein files revealed that Brende had dined with the convicted sex offender, prompting the WEF to launch an independent investigation. The WEF's co-chairs said the review concluded with "no additional concerns beyond what has been previously disclosed."
A Wave of Resignations
The impact of the Epstein files extends far beyond Davos, affecting influential figures across sectors:
- Larry Summers, the former president of Harvard University, announced Wednesday he will resign his positions at the university and from the OpenAI board following backlash over his relationship with Epstein. He has not been accused of criminal conduct.
- Tom Pritzker, executive chair of Hyatt Hotels, expressed regret for his connections to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, stating, "I exercised terrible judgment in maintaining contact with them."
- Brad Karp, chairman of the law firm Paul, Weiss, resigned after his emails with Epstein surfaced, citing his belief that recent reporting had created a distraction and was not in the best interests of the firm.
- Kathy Ruemmler, a top counsel at Goldman Sachs and former White House lawyer, resigned after emails showed her close relationship with Epstein and her downplaying of his sex crimes.
- Casey Wasserman, a Hollywood talent agent, announced plans to sell his agency after his Epstein connections were exposed, losing high-profile clients in the process.
- Steve Tisch, chairman and co-owner of the New York Giants, is being investigated by the NFL after his Epstein ties were revealed.
- Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick faces bipartisan calls to resign after the Epstein files revealed a closer relationship with Epstein than previously indicated.
- Peter Attia, a longevity influencer, stepped down as chief science officer of David Protein and as a CBS News contributor after his Epstein emails were revealed.
The resignations extend internationally. Former British ambassador Peter Mandelson, whom Prime Minister Keir Starmer dismissed from his post in September, was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office after appearing thousands of times in the files. He has not been charged and is presumed innocent. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, previously known as Prince Andrew, was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office and has been stripped of royal titles by King Charles III. He has not been charged and is presumed innocent.
International Implications
In Norway, former Prime Minister Thorbjørn Jagland was charged with aggravated corruption following a police probe into his Epstein ties. He has denied wrongdoing.
In Dubai, Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem was replaced as chairman and CEO of DP World after emails surfaced showing Epstein wrote to him: "I loved the torture video" in a 2019 message.
In France, Jack Lang, a former culture minister, resigned from the Arab World Institute in Paris due to his association with Epstein.
The charity started by Sarah Ferguson, the ex-wife of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, announced it would shut down after the files revealed the extent of her friendship with Epstein.
What's Next?
The Epstein files have revealed extensive connections between powerful individuals and a convicted sex offender. The release has prompted investigations and resignations across business, politics, and academia. The independent investigations into these connections are ongoing. The Justice Department has faced criticism for both inadvertently exposing cooperating witnesses and for allegedly withholding Trump-related materials.
