Overview

• Bill Gates has pledged to donate over $200 billion and shut down the Gates Foundation by December 31, 2045, doubling its historical spending in the next two decades.
• The foundation's accelerated spend-down plan focuses on eradicating polio and malaria, reducing maternal and child mortality, and alleviating global poverty.
• Gates sharply criticized Elon Musk for slashing 80% of USAID’s budget through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), warning of millions of preventable deaths worldwide.
• Elon Musk dismissed Gates’ criticism as dishonest, sparking a public feud over the role of government aid versus private philanthropy in addressing global challenges.
• Melinda French Gates, co-founder of the foundation, strongly endorsed the accelerated spending strategy, emphasizing the importance of returning resources to society.