Elon Musk and Bill Gates Clash Over Foreign Aid Cuts and Global Health

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Elon Musk and Bill Gates are once again embroiled in a public feud, this time focusing on the implications of foreign aid cuts that could impact global health. The disagreement escalated after Musk, who recently left his role in the Trump administration, initiated efforts to reduce federal spending.

On July 3, Gates took to Musk’s social media platform, X, to express concern over the detrimental effects of these spending cuts on humanitarian aid. He referenced a recent Lancet study predicting an increase in childhood mortality due to reduced U.S. foreign aid. Gates wrote, “A study in the Lancet recently looked at the cumulative impact of reductions in American aid. It found that, by 2040, 8 million more children will die before their fifth birthday.”

Gates also highlighted the potential threat to vital HIV treatment programs, quoting a @UNAIDS analysis predicting that halting PEPFAR-supported initiatives could lead to an additional 4.2 million deaths by 2029. He emphasized the crucial role of vaccine funding, stating that, “The U.S. announced that, after this year, it’s pulling out all its money,” warning of dire consequences. “If that happens, Gavi estimates that 75 million children will miss vaccinations over the next five years—and of those, 1.2 million children will die.”

While Gates did not mention Musk directly, Musk could not ignore the implications and quickly responded. A user on X suggested Gates, with his substantial wealth, should simply cover the shortfall himself. Musk chimed in, responding with, “Exactly.” He further accused Gates of resentment due to his organization no longer receiving significant U.S. funding.

The conflict is rooted in a broader personal rivalry from the past. Musk holds a grudge against Gates for short selling Tesla stock, an action that Musk views as a direct blow to his company. “Gates placed a massive bet on Tesla dying when our company was at one of its weakest moments several years ago,” Musk stated, referencing Gates’s past financial maneuvers.

As of July 5, sources estimate Musk’s net worth at $361 billion and Gates’s at $124 billion. The ongoing feud illustrates not only a clash of ideologies over philanthropy and government spending but also personal animosities that have been brewing for years.