Bill Gates has pledged to donate nearly all of his $108 billion fortune by 2045, marking a bold move to counter global aid cutbacks. Announced on the Gates Foundation’s 25th anniversary, the Microsoft co-founder revealed plans to accelerate his giving and eventually close the foundation after distributing 99% of his personal wealth. The foundation, co-established with Melinda French Gates in 2000, has already contributed $100 billion to initiatives like Gavi and the Global Fund.
Gates aims to spend an estimated $200 billion over the next two decades, with a $9 billion annual budget expected by 2026. His focus includes eradicating preventable diseases such as polio and malaria, reducing maternal and child mortality, and combating extreme poverty. He emphasized that such goals remain unattainable without robust government support, especially from the U.S., once the world’s largest aid donor.
In a pointed criticism, Gates accused Elon Musk—now the world’s richest man and a key player in President Trump’s administration—of worsening global inequality. He said Musk’s push for budget cuts has decimated USAID, hindering vital programs like vaccinations and food relief. “The picture of the world’s richest man killing the world’s poorest children is not a pretty one,” Gates told the Financial Times.
Despite past alignment with Musk on philanthropy, the two have repeatedly clashed in recent years. Gates urged fellow billionaires to increase their giving, saying, “There are too many urgent problems to solve for me to hold onto resources that could help people.”
While praising African nations for reallocating budgets to offset aid losses, Gates warned that ending diseases like polio still depends on sustained U.S. support. His legacy, he insists, will not be one of dying rich, but one of meaningful impact.