Bill Gates Warns Musk-Led Foreign Aid Cuts Could Lead to Millions of Deaths
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has issued a stark warning over recent foreign aid cuts driven by Elon Musk’s influence in the U.S. government, claiming the move could result in millions of deaths worldwide.
Speaking to CNN’s Fareed Zakaria in an interview set to air Sunday, Gates criticised the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) under the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a body Musk has helped steer under the Trump administration. Gates said Musk’s aggressive cost-cutting approach is having devastating consequences, particularly in the global health sector.
“When Elon went into government, if his goal was to make things more efficient or to deploy AI in smart ways, that would’ve been commendable,” Gates said. “But instead, it’s turned into slashing crucial programs. That’s something I didn’t expect – and it needs to be reversed.”
The criticism comes as numerous humanitarian organisations report cancelled contracts and interrupted payments, resulting in halted aid projects. While some funding has since been partially reinstated, Gates warned that the global impact of the cuts – especially to health programs — has already created what he called a “global health emergency.”
Gates, who recently pledged to donate $200 billion through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation before winding it down in 20 years, cited the worsening state of global health as a key reason for accelerating his giving. The foundation has spent more than $100 billion since 2000 on vaccine development, pandemic preparedness, and healthcare systems in developing countries – often in partnership with USAID.
The tech philanthropist took direct aim at Musk’s claim earlier this year that the U.S. had spent $50 billion on condoms for Gaza, a figure Musk later admitted was false. Gates also condemned Musk’s derogatory remarks about USAID workers, whom Musk had labeled “radical lunatics” and “anti-American.” Gates responded: “These people are heroes. Other than the military, they are the most honorable face of America in many parts of the world.”
According to Gates, Musk’s proposed $2 trillion in budget cuts have disproportionately targeted international aid – sectors easy to misrepresent and politically isolate. “He hasn’t spent time with these people or seen the lives they’re saving,” Gates said.
He also voiced concern about the broader unpredictability in government policy, including tariffs and economic measures under the Trump administration, warning that such volatility could discourage long-term investments and further destabilise the global economy.
While Musk has yet to respond to Gates’ latest remarks, the two billionaires have publicly clashed in the past. In 2022, Musk referred to Gates as an “a–hole” after a failed meeting on philanthropy, as recounted in Walter Isaacson’s biography of Musk.
In his conversation with Zakaria, Gates concluded that while Musk may be a visionary in tech, “global health isn’t his area of expertise.” He warned that an 80% slash to critical aid programs, as proposed under Musk’s DOGE framework, could trigger catastrophic outcomes. “That level of cutting,” Gates said, “is not just inefficient – it’s a deadly mistake.”
