Camilla Jessen
A heated war of words has erupted between Elon Musk and Bill Gates.
A high-stakes clash between two of the world’s most influential billionaires is playing out in public, as Elon Musk and Bill Gates exchange barbs over foreign aid policy and humanitarian fallout.
The feud ignited after Gates accused Musk—without directly naming him—of enabling conditions that could lead to millions of child deaths.
In a May 8 interview with Reuters, Gates warned of devastating consequences following the dismantling of USAID, the U.S. agency long responsible for distributing humanitarian and development assistance around the globe.
“The number of deaths will start going up for the first time… it’s going to be millions more deaths because of the resources,” Gates said, as cited by Newsner.
The picture of the world’s richest man killing the world’s poorest children is not a pretty one.
While Gates didn’t mention Musk by name, the implication was clear: the restructuring of USAID was spearheaded by President Donald Trump’s administration and the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), overseen by Musk.
Musk’s Swift, Blunt Response
Musk wasted no time firing back. On the same day, he posted a terse and dismissive statement on X:
“Gates is a huge liar.”
It’s one of Musk’s most pointed public attacks on Gates to date, adding fuel to an already tense relationship between the two men, who have sparred over AI, COVID-19 policy, philanthropy, and climate initiatives in recent years.
What Sparked the Clash?
The fallout stems from a February decision by the Trump administration to drastically scale back USAID operations. According to the Associated Press, more than 90% of USAID’s contracts for global humanitarian work were terminated, cutting off roughly $60 billion in aid.
Musk, who heads the DOGE agency, celebrated the move online, posting about “feeding USAID into the woodchipper”—a comment critics have called tone-deaf given the humanitarian implications.
Gates, currently focused on giving away nearly all of his fortune by 2045, has emphasized that international aid is crucial to preventing child mortality, disease, and poverty.
“I believe we can leave the next generation better off and better prepared,” Gates wrote in a blog post earlier this month, citing his foundation’s work to reduce preventable deaths and improve global health.
Two Billionaires, Two Visions
The feud isn’t just personal—it reflects two radically different philosophies about wealth, responsibility, and the role of the ultra-rich in shaping global policy.
Gates is opting for legacy-driven philanthropy, aiming to distribute his $200 billion fortune to fight poverty and disease.
Musk, on the other hand, is focused on disruptive efficiency and cost-cutting, especially when it comes to bloated bureaucracies—regardless of the consequences critics warn about.
As one political analyst noted, “This is not just about aid. It’s about who gets to decide what global leadership looks like.”