Bill Gates has strongly criticized Elon Musk for cutting U.S. development aid programs, claiming the decision puts millions of vulnerable lives at risk. In an interview with the Financial Times, Gates accused Musk of endangering global health by dismantling programs under USAID.
According to Gates, Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) abruptly shut down life-saving health initiatives, leading to shortages of food, vaccines, and medicine in impoverished regions. He warned that diseases like HIV, polio, and measles could now make a dangerous comeback in parts of Africa and Asia.
“The picture of the world’s richest man killing the world’s poorest children is not a pretty one,” Gates stated. He criticized Musk for canceling funds for an HIV-prevention hospital in Mozambique, reportedly due to a mistaken belief it was connected to the Middle East’s Gaza region. Musk later admitted the error.
Gates emphasized that private philanthropy cannot replace the estimated $44 billion in aid lost due to the cuts. He warned that the consequences of these actions will be felt for years, especially among the most vulnerable communities in low-income nations.
Meanwhile, Gates announced that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will close by 2045, as he intends to spend nearly all of his $200 billion fortune on global health, education, and development in the next 20 years. He urged billionaires to support sustainable humanitarian efforts rather than rely solely on technology-driven solutions.
The feud between Gates and Musk is longstanding, with Musk previously calling traditional philanthropy “bullshit” while promoting business-based solutions through Tesla and SpaceX. However, Gates argued that such approaches cannot address urgent humanitarian crises that require immediate aid and government support.