Elon Musk accused of endangering impoverished children worldwide due to reduced foreign aid, with Bill Gates claiming he's distributing his fortune.
Revised Article:
Bill Gates Slams Elon Musk Over USAID Shutdown: 'Killing Poor Kids'
In a scathing critique, tech billionaire Bill Gates blast Elon Musk for allegedly putting poor children's lives at risk by shutting down the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
Gates, 69, accused Musk of jeopardizing the world's most vulnerable populations by effectively shutting down USAID through his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). In an interview with the Financial Times, Gates lambasted the decision, stating that it could lead to a resurgence of diseases like measles, HIV, and polio.
"It's a god-awful sight, the world's richest man jeopardizing the lives of the world's poorest kids," Gates said. "I'd love for him to go meet the innocent children he's dooming to disease-ridden lives because he pulled the plug on that money."
Established in January 2025, DOGE was a result of an executive order by President Donald Trump following discussions with Musk. DOGE is part of an ongoing effort to overhaul the U.S. federal government, aligning with Project 2025 - a policy blueprint developed by conservative groups like the Heritage Foundation.
In response, Harrison Fields, a spokesperson for DOGE, called Musk a "patriot working to eliminate waste and fraud" in a statement. "Backbenchers should celebrate the selfless efforts of America's most innovative entrepreneur, who is dedicating time to support American taxpayers and hold Washington accountable to the people of this great nation," the statement read.
Notably, Gates recently announced plans to distribute his remaining fortune to the Gates Foundation over the next 20 years, joining a string of interviews, articles, and blog posts published on the foundation's 25th anniversary. Furthermore, Gates stated that the foundation would cease operations by the end of 2045, earlier than originally projected.
Meanwhile, Musk stepped away from his role at DOGE following a drop in profit and revenue at Tesla, one of his several enterprises. In February, Gates met with President Donald Trump at the White House to advocate for continued foreign aid disbursements from USAID.
Gates previously warned about the repercussions of replicating USAID's work after the meeting, citing the expertise of USAID personnel as an invaluable asset that would be difficult to replace. Since its inception in 2000, the Gates Foundation has donated over $100 billion, and Gates expects it to donate another $200 billion over the next 20 years, including from its endowment and Gates' future personal donations.
As one of the world's wealthiest individuals, with a personal fortune of $168 billion, Gates vowed to funnel his money back into society as soon as possible, stating, "There are too many urgent problems to solve for me to hold onto resources that could be used to help people." He added, "I am determined that 'he died rich' will not be on my epitaph."
- Bill Gates, in an interview with the Financial Times, criticized Elon Musk's actions, accusing him of jeopardizing the lives of the world's poorest children by shutting down the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
- Gates believes that the shutdown of USAID, allegedly by Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), could lead to a resurgence of diseases like measles, HIV, and polio.
- In a statement, Harrison Fields, a spokesperson for DOGE, defended Musk, calling him a "patriot working to eliminate waste and fraud."
- Despite the controversy, Gates recently announced plans to distribute his remaining fortune to the Gates Foundation over the next 20 years, emphasizing the foundation's role in battling widespread diseases and poverty.
- With a personal fortune of $168 billion, Gates has vowed to funnel his money back into society as soon as possible, stating his desire for "he died rich" not to be on his epitaph.
