Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates has publicly accused Elon Musk of “killing the world’s poorest children” by cutting funding to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). This accusation follows Musk’s decision to effectively shut down USAID through his Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) earlier this year.
Background
USAID is the main US government agency responsible for delivering foreign aid, with a budget of approximately $44 billion in 2024. The agency funds critical programs around the world that provide vaccines, food aid, maternal and child health services, disease prevention, and infrastructure support. Its work has helped reduce child mortality, combat infectious diseases like polio and HIV, and improve global development outcomes.
Elon Musk’s Doge department labeled USAID as outdated and inefficient and moved to cut or end its funding abruptly. This has caused alarm among global health experts and aid organizations who fear a resurgence of preventable diseases and increased poverty in vulnerable regions.
The Impact of the Cuts: Real Consequences
Bill Gates, who has spent decades leading the Gates Foundation’s global health initiatives, criticized Musk’s decision as dangerously misguided. He revealed that the sudden budget reductions left essential food and medicines unused in warehouses. This situation could lead to outbreaks of diseases such as measles, HIV, and polio—illnesses that had been largely controlled thanks to ongoing aid efforts.
One specific example Gates highlighted was the cancellation of funding to a hospital in Gaza Province, Mozambique. This hospital runs a critical program to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Musk had mistakenly believed USAID funds were supporting militant groups in Gaza, Palestine, and therefore cut the grant. Gates described this as a “deadly mistake,” emphasizing the direct risk to children who could now become infected due to the lack of support.
Gates’ Philanthropy Strategy and Limits
In contrast to the government aid cuts, Bill Gates announced plans to accelerate his philanthropic giving, pledging to spend nearly $200 billion over the next 20 years and close the Gates Foundation by 2045. He intends to increase annual spending to roughly $10 billion, focusing on vaccines, maternal and child health, and education.
Despite this, Gates stressed that private philanthropy cannot replace government-funded programs. The scale and reach of USAID’s work are far beyond what any private foundation can sustain. The cuts by Musk’s Doge have therefore created a dangerous gap in global health funding that could undermine progress made over decades.
The Ongoing Musk-Gates Feud
The tension between Gates and Musk goes back years. Musk has been critical of traditional philanthropy, calling it ineffective and promoting commercial solutions, such as Tesla’s electric vehicles, as better approaches to global challenges. Gates, meanwhile, has defended the role of coordinated aid efforts and cautioned that cutting funding abruptly risks millions of lives.
Their public feud escalated when Musk mocked Gates on social media, and Gates responded with sharp criticism of Musk’s understanding of global health issues and USAID’s operations.
Broader Implications for Global Aid and Health
The dispute highlights the fragile state of global health financing. As major aid budgets shrink, the risk of disease resurgence grows, especially in low-income countries dependent on foreign assistance. It also raises questions about the role of wealthy individuals versus governments in solving global problems.
Experts warn that without steady and predictable funding, gains against diseases like polio and HIV could be reversed. The loss of USAID funding may also disrupt other vital services such as clean water, nutrition, and emergency response.
Bill Gates’ criticism of Elon Musk’s cuts to USAID funding brings into sharp focus the challenges facing global health aid. While private philanthropy remains important, government agencies like USAID play an irreplaceable role in sustaining international development. Abrupt funding reductions risk reversing years of progress, threatening the health and lives of the world’s poorest children.
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