Bill Gates has sharply criticized Elon Musk over major cuts to U.S. foreign aid programs, warning the reductions could result in millions of global deaths. The Microsoft co-founder expressed concern during an interview with CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, pointing to the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) under Musk’s leadership at the Department of Government Efficiency in the Trump administration.
Musk, who boasted about “feeding USAID to the woodchipper,” has faced backlash as nonprofits worldwide struggle with canceled contracts and disrupted funding. While some aid has since been reinstated, Gates said the damage is already putting lives at risk.
“If Elon had focused on efficiency or AI to improve government operations, that would’ve been admirable,” Gates said. “But instead, vital health programs were slashed. Some of that needs to be restored.”
Gates emphasized that the world is facing a global health emergency, worsened by U.S. and European cuts to international health spending. His comments follow his announcement to donate $200 billion — nearly all his personal wealth — through the Gates Foundation over the next two decades, aiming to combat the decline in global health progress.
Gates took direct aim at Musk’s misinformation, including a false claim that the U.S. spent $50 billion on condoms for Gaza, and criticized Musk’s portrayal of USAID workers as “radical lunatics.” Gates called them “heroes” who represent America’s commitment to global health and stability.
“These people are honorable — second only to the military in representing the U.S. abroad,” he said. “Demonizing them is deeply unfair.”
He added that Musk may be a genius in certain fields, but global health is not one of them. “An 80% cut isn’t efficiency. That’s a mistake that will cost millions of lives,” Gates warned.
The feud between Gates and Musk isn’t new. In 2022, a private meeting between the two about philanthropy ended badly, with Musk later calling Gates an “a-hole,” as detailed in Walter Isaacson’s biography of Musk.
Gates also criticized Trump’s tariff policies and warned that economic uncertainty and AI-driven changes could disrupt jobs and long-term planning.
“You can’t build a new factory if you don’t know what the rules will be for the next 20 years,” he said.
The full interview with Gates will air on Fareed Zakaria GPS on Sunday at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. ET.
