Elon Musk and Bill Gates engaged in a public dispute on May 20, 2025, primarily about USAID funding cuts at the Qatar Economic Forum in Qatar. The conflict arose after Gates criticized Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) for cutting over 80% of USAID programs, claiming it risks millions of deaths.
Musk defended the cuts as efficiency measures, stating essential services were preserved and accused Gates of lacking evidence while highlighting Gates’s past ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Musk expressed skepticism about Gates’s moral standing due to his association with Epstein, stating he would be uncomfortable entrusting Gates with the care of his child, and challenged Gates to provide evidence supporting his claims that DOGE’s funding cuts could lead to millions of deaths.
This confrontation intensified their ongoing feud and raised questions about USAID’s management and the impact of budget cuts on global health aid programs.
