In a striking and emotional interview released Thursday, Bill Gates leveled a fierce accusation against fellow billionaire Elon Musk, blaming him for the indirect deaths of poor children following major cuts to U.S. foreign aid programs. The comments came as Gates announced a major philanthropic pivot: he plans to give away his entire $168 billion fortune and wind down the Gates Foundation by 2045.
The comments came during a wide-ranging discussion with the Financial Times, where Gates didn’t mince words about the consequences of dismantling the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The federal agency, which has long played a critical role in fighting global poverty and disease, was effectively shut down in February by Musk’s controversial Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a new government initiative aimed at trimming federal spending.
“The picture of the world’s richest man killing the world’s poorest children is not a pretty one,” Gates said, his voice heavy with frustration.
At 69, Gates has long since stepped away from the tech empire he co-founded. In recent years, he has become better known for his philanthropic efforts than his time at Microsoft. Through the Gates Foundation co-founded with his ex-wife, Melinda French Gates he has committed billions to fighting malaria, eradicating polio, and expanding access to vaccines and education around the world. But his remarks on Thursday revealed a deeper, personal anguish over what he sees as a dangerous reversal in global progress.
“I’d love for Elon to go in and meet the children that have now been infected with HIV because he cut that money,” Gates continued. “These aren’t numbers on a spreadsheet. These are kids who had a chance and now they don’t.”
The comments mark one of the most scathing public critiques Gates has ever made against another tech titan. Representatives for Musk and DOGE did not respond to requests for comment. Musk, meanwhile, announced last week that he would be stepping away from DOGE, after Tesla reported a disappointing first quarter.
Gates also used the moment to announce a bold new chapter in his philanthropy. In honor of the Gates Foundation’s 25th anniversary, he pledged to donate the remainder of his vast fortune to the foundation over the next 20 years. And for the first time, he revealed that the organization will cease operations entirely by December 31, 2045 a significant shift from previous expectations that it would remain active well into the second half of the century.
“People will say a lot of things about me when I die,” Gates wrote in a blog post accompanying the interview. “But I am determined that ‘he died rich’ will not be one of them. There are too many urgent problems to solve for me to hold onto resources that could be used to help people.”
Since its founding in 2000, the Gates Foundation has donated over $100 billion toward health, education, and poverty relief, according to Gates. He now expects the organization to donate an additional $200 billion over the next two decades, drawing from both its current endowment and his future personal contributions.
Gates’ decision to hasten his giving was clearly shaped by the changing political and philanthropic landscape. He referenced his February visit to the White House, where he met with President Donald Trump to argue for the continued funding of USAID. Speaking to NBC’s TODAY shortly after, Gates said that replacing the agency’s infrastructure and expertise would be nearly impossible.
“Getting those people out there, with their depth of experience that’s an asset that would be very hard to recreate,” he said at the time.
A Final Chapter with Urgency
Gates’ declaration on Thursday struck a tone of both urgency and hope. While clearly angered by Musk’s actions, he framed his own decision to give away his fortune as a moral imperative.
“That is why I have decided to give my money back to society much faster than I had originally planned,” Gates wrote. “Holding onto it any longer feels irresponsible.”
His remarks underscore a fundamental tension in the tech world today: the gap between innovation and responsibility, between disruption and care. Gates, the fifth richest man in the world according to Bloomberg’s Billionaires Index, seems intent on using his final years not to accumulate, but to repair, restore, and uplift.
“The Gates Foundation’s mission remains rooted in the idea that where you are born should not determine your opportunities,” he concluded. “I am excited to see how our next chapter continues to move the world closer to a future where everyone everywhere has the chance to live a healthy and productive life.”
In the clash between two of the world’s most influential men, the stakes are clear: it’s not just about billionaires disagreeing it’s about lives on the line.
