Bill Gates Pledges $200B Giveaway by 2045 Amid Musk Aid Cuts Feud

Bill Gates has publicly criticized Elon Musk for his role in significant cuts to U.S. foreign aid, specifically through Musk's involvement in dismantling the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which Gates argues is harming vulnerable populations such as children in Mozambique affected by HIV. Gates condemned Musk's approach as reckless and highlighted the irony of the world's richest man contributing to the suffering of the world's poorest. In response to these cuts, Gates has accelerated his philanthropic efforts, pledging to give away nearly all of his $108 billion fortune by 2045 through the Gates Foundation, aiming to combat diseases like polio and malaria and reduce global poverty. Gates underscored that philanthropy cannot replace government aid, which is being drastically reduced by multiple countries. The feud between the two billionaires has been marked by Gates' sharp remarks and Musk's dismissive responses, with Gates emphasizing the importance of sustained government support alongside private philanthropy. Additionally, Gates' wealth and philanthropic impact are contrasted with his hypothetical net worth had he retained all his Microsoft stock, which would have made him a trillionaire, far surpassing Musk's current wealth.