Musk replies to Gates’ claim that he is killing the world’s poorer children.
Bill Gates slammed Elon Musk for his position in Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), especially in view of his audacious proposal to reduce the federal workforce. Owner of Twitter, Musk, answered with a blunt five-word remark.
Soon after beginning his second term as US president, Donald Trump quickly assigned Elon Musk to oversee the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Aiming at saving public money and improving government operations, Musk’s main goal was to drastically cut the federal worker size. His approach was anything from subdued; he sent an ultimatum email to every employee stressing the need of radical changes. Many staff members were let go as a result of this correspondence, which generated both political support and criticism all around. The choice underlined Musk’s reputation for forceful, perhaps contentious action taken in search of economy and efficiency.
This decision backfired, though, when the Trump government was compelled following criticism to bring 180 employees back.
Known philanthropist Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, observed this behavior. Gates vehemently attacked Musk, accusing him of putting the most vulnerable communities in the world in danger by closing important departments and organizations, the most notable of which was the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
In February, Elon Musk called USAID a “criminal organization” and said it was “time for it to die.”
Before Musk got involved, USAID was a sizable humanitarian organization employing roughly 10,000 people. Comprising $40 million globally for the 2023 fiscal year, it was the top single foreign aid contributor worldwide. On the other hand, Musk expressed a very pessimistic outlook toward the agency, stating, “It became transparent that it is not an apple with a worm inside.” We are merely dealing with a swarm of worms here. There is no other option but to simply throw away the whole thing.
Reacting to Musk’s comments, Bill Gates called the issue “the richest man killing the poorest children in the world” and said it was a serious one. Emphasizing the results of demolishing such a fundamental institution, he expressed his concerns to the Financial Times, defining the current situation as “not a pretty one.”
Going by Gorklon Rust on social media, Elon Musk seemed to respond to Gates’ criticism on May 8 on Twitter in the ongoing conversation.
When asked about a footage of Bill Gates that was broadcast on CBS Morning, Elon Musk responded on social media by saying, “Gates is a huge liar.”
In his interview, Gates did give a more detailed answer, though. Emphasizing the serious consequences of the cuts made by Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), he said that food supplies and life-saving drugs had been left to expire in warehouses. Gates said these cuts might lead to rising diseases including polio, HIV, and measles in countries without access to basic resources.
Gates also said Musk was stopping gifts that were meant to help a hospital in Gaza that was trying to stop mothers from giving HIV to their children. Musk allegedly justified his divisive choice by making unfounded assertions implying that condoms from the United States were being supplied to Hamas in the area. This charge accentuated the complexity and sensitivity of helping areas impacted by conflict, therefore fueling an already controversial situation.
Gates went on, “I’d love for him to go in and meet the children who now have HIV because he cut that money.” He was clearly unhappy.