Tesla CEO Elon Musk has called Bill Gates a “huge liar" after the Microsoft co-founder accused him of "killing the world’s poorest children" by shutting down USAID, the United States’ international development agency.
Bill Gates slams Elon Musk for shutting down USAID
In an interview with the Financial Times, Bill Gates criticised Elon Musk for shutting down the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
Gates also remarked that Elon Musk’s decision to cut down foreign aid funding could lead to an increase in the cases of measles, HIV, and polio and more.
“The picture of the world’s richest man killing the world’s poorest children is not a pretty one,” Gates told the Financial Times.
Speaking at the Qatar Economic Forum, Elon Musk responded to this statement by dismissing all allegations and calling billionaire Bill Gates a ‘huge liar’.
The spat escalated after Gates’ remarks in an interview with the Financial Times, where he alleged that Musk’s budget cuts to foreign aid would result in millions of child deaths.
Elon Musk responds
The Tesla boss claimed all allegations as “false statements” and even pointed at Gates over his past ties with Jeffrey Epstein.
“Who does Bill Gates think he is to make comments about the welfare of children, given that he was very close with Jeffrey Epstein… I wouldn’t want that guy to babysit my kid,” Musk said.
Gates had expressed his concerns over the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) — formerly led by Musk — which made major budget cuts, including shutting down USAID in February 2025.
DOGE had labelled the agency a “criminal organisation” and said it was “time for it to die.”
Gates claimed that the sudden budget reductions halted vital aid delivery, leaving life-saving goods and medicines stuck in warehouses and depriving millions of vulnerable children of essential support.
Bill Gates criticised for business alliance with Israel amid war
Incidentally, Gates also faced criticisms when several Microsoft employees quit the company in protest against its business alliances with Israel amid the ongoing war in Palestine’s Gaza.
Since the October 7 attack by Hamas, Israel has killed more than 55,000 Palestinians, half of whom are children, which the United Nations (UN) has described as genocide.
On Thursday, May 15, 2025, Microsoft admitted that it provided advanced artificial intelligence and cloud computing services during its war on Gaza. However, Bill Gates’ company claimed that it was not used in harming the people.
“Microsoft provides IMOD with software, professional services, Azure cloud services, and Azure AI services, including language translation. As with many governments around the world, we also work with the Israeli government to protect its national cyberspace against external threats,” Microsoft said in its statement.
Also read: This Indian-origin executive out-earned Satya Nadella and Sundar Pichai: From PwC trainee to $139 Mn Tesla CFO (startuppedia.in)
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