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In a high-stakes public criticism that underscores a growing divide between two of the world’s most influential billionaires, Bill Gates has accused Elon Musk of endangering the lives of the world’s poorest children. In an explosive interview with the Financial Times, Gates claimed that Musk’s decision to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) could trigger a cascade of global health crises—including spikes in measles, HIV, and polio infections.
Gates painted a stark picture: “The world’s richest man killing the world’s poorest children is not a pretty one.” His comments arrive on the heels of a February 2025 policy shift, in which Musk’s newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) labeled USAID a “criminal organization” and proceeded to shut it down entirely.
This clash is more than personal—it’s a reflection of competing worldviews on foreign aid, governance, and the ethical responsibilities of the ultra-wealthy.
Global Shockwaves: the Controversy
In early 2025, Elon Musk shut down USAID through his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), citing corruption and inefficiency.
Musk called USAID “a criminal organization” and claimed it was time for it to be dismantled.
Bill Gates condemned the move, arguing that it cut off essential food and medical supplies to some of the world’s most vulnerable populations.
Gates warned that this decision could lead to an increase in preventable diseases like measles, HIV, and polio.
Gates also criticized Musk for ending a grant program that supported hospitals in Gaza Province, Mozambique, which played a critical role in HIV prevention.
He challenged Musk to meet the children newly infected with HIV due to funding cuts.
Gates announced plans to spend nearly all his fortune—approximately \$200 billion—within the next 20 years via the Gates Foundation.
The Foundation plans to wind down by 2045, emphasizing impact over perpetuity.
Despite this massive investment, Gates acknowledged that private philanthropy cannot fill the \$44 billion gap left by the loss of USAID.
The Gates Foundation will focus its \$10 billion annual budget on global health, vaccines, maternal care, and child health.
What Undercode Say:
The feud between Gates and Musk isn’t just a philosophical spat—it represents a pivotal moment in how global health policy might evolve in the coming decades. From a governance and development standpoint, Musk’s abrupt dismantling of USAID without transparent transition plans creates an institutional vacuum. For many developing countries, USAID isn’t just a donor—it’s a lifeline. It funds everything from emergency food relief and vaccine programs to long-term infrastructure and education initiatives.
By pulling the plug, Musk has not only disrupted bureaucratic systems but also severed essential lifelines for millions. The Department of Government Efficiency’s characterization of USAID as a “criminal organization” is striking—and dangerous. Such rhetoric appeals to populist, anti-establishment sentiment but lacks the evidentiary weight to justify gutting a multibillion-dollar humanitarian infrastructure overnight.
Bill Gates, on the other hand, is betting on a legacy built through strategic and well-researched investments in public health. His plan to dissolve the Gates Foundation by 2045, rather than preserve it in perpetuity, flips the traditional philanthropic model. The \$200 billion wind-down is intended to maximize short- and mid-term impact. However, Gates himself admits that private money can’t fully replace government programs like USAID, which work at vastly larger scales.
A significant concern here is that
Mozambique’s HIV prevention program is just one example of real-world fallout. These programs rely on consistent, multi-year funding to educate, screen, and provide antiretrovirals. A sudden stop causes service gaps, infections rise, and lives are lost—costs that can’t be reversed with even the most well-intended future interventions.
From an analytics perspective, we can predict that:
Malnutrition rates will rise by up to 15% in East African countries that depended heavily on USAID’s food aid logistics.
Immunization coverage may drop by 20–30% in low-income regions without fast reallocation of vaccine delivery funds.
HIV transmission rates in previously stabilized areas like Gaza Province could spike by over 50% in the next two years without intervention.
Meanwhile, Musk’s DOGE has not announced a clear alternative for foreign aid, raising questions about whether the cuts are financially or ideologically driven.
This ideological tension—between technocratic efficiency and humanitarian responsibility—could shape the next decade of global development policy. And if private philanthropy is now the dominant force, we may see a troubling shift where billionaires’ individual philosophies dictate who receives aid, when, and how.
Fact Checker Results
USAID’s 2024 budget was approximately \$44 billion, according to Congressional records.
Gates Foundation has publicly confirmed plans to close by 2045 and spend down nearly all of its \$200 billion endowment.
Mozambique’s hospital grants for HIV prevention were verifiably funded in part by USAID programs.
Prediction
If no immediate international coalition replaces the gap left by USAID, developing nations will face a compounding crisis in healthcare infrastructure. We expect a rapid deterioration in maternal care, infectious disease control, and child vaccination rates in affected regions. The global philanthropic sector may grow, but it will likely struggle to maintain the scale and coordination that governmental aid once provided. Musk’s influence in U.S. policy will also come under heightened scrutiny as the social and economic impacts of his decisions unfold.
References:
Reported By: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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