By: Suraj Karowa
Washington, DC – October 6, 2025 –
In a blistering critique that’s reignited the long-simmering rivalry between two of the world’s most influential billionaires, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has labeled Elon Musk’s forays into international politics as “insane” and potentially destabilizing. Speaking to The Times in a wide-ranging interview published last January, Gates warned that Musk’s outsized role in foreign affairs—fueled by his alliance with U.S. President Donald Trump—poses risks to global stability. The comments, which have gained renewed traction amid Musk’s ongoing leadership of the controversial Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), underscore a deepening philosophical divide: Gates, the philanthropist championing global health, versus Musk, the disruptor reshaping governance and borders.
The feud traces back years, but Musk’s post-2024 election ascent has supercharged it. Since Trump’s victory, Musk has emerged as the president’s closest confidant, co-chairing DOGE alongside Vivek Ramaswamy. The initiative, dubbed a “chainsaw” to bureaucratic bloat, has slashed federal spending by billions, targeting waste in agencies like the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). But critics, led by Gates, argue these cuts are shortsighted and deadly, particularly in the developing world where aid saves lives.
“It’s really insane that he can destabilize the political situations in countries,” Gates said in the January interview, referring to Musk’s vocal interventions in European politics. He elaborated to Business Insider, calling it “insane s—” for a private citizen with Musk’s platform—X, formerly Twitter, boasting over 600 million users—to sway elections abroad. Gates, who once held the title of world’s richest man before Musk overtook him, urged the super-wealthy innovator to redirect his genius toward constructive ends. “If someone is super smart, and he is, they should think how they can help out,” Gates advised. “But this is populist stirring.
Musk’s European escapades provide the flashpoint. In early January, he ignited outrage by demanding the ouster of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, accusing the Labour leader of complicity in child rape scandals during his time as Director of Public Prosecutions (2008-2013). “Starmer failed to prosecute grooming gangs,” Musk posted on X, amplifying far-right narratives and calling for his immediate removal.eacddd Days later, Musk made a virtual appearance at a rally for Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD), the far-right party eyeing gains in February’s snap elections. “Germany’s last hope,” he declared, endorsing their hardline immigration stance and urging voters to shed “past guilt” over the Holocaust. He even teased support for Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, prompting the Brexit architect to quip that Musk could bankroll their anti-immigration push.
These moves, Gates argues, cross a dangerous line. “Musk shouldn’t be telling people who to vote for,” he told Fortune, decrying the Tesla CEO’s ability to amplify extremist voices without accountability. The Microsoft alum, whose Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has poured $70 billion into vaccines and poverty alleviation since 2000, sees echoes of unchecked influence. He advocates for safeguards akin to U.S. laws banning foreign donations to campaigns, suggesting Europe adopt similar measures to shield against “outside interference.
The critique escalated dramatically in May, when Gates turned his fire on DOGE’s USAID overhaul. Under Musk’s watch, the agency—once the globe’s largest aid provider—faced evisceration. Over 5,600 staffers were axed, contracts canceled, and funding halted, including grants to a Mozambique hospital combating mother-to-child HIV transmission. Gates, in interviews with The New York Times and CNN, accused Musk of “killing children” in the world’s poorest nations.
“Elon Musk is overseeing cuts that will cause millions of deaths,” he warned, citing halted vaccinations and famine relief. In a Financial Times sit-down, Gates revealed a bizarre anecdote: Musk nixed the Mozambique funding over a “mistaken belief” that U.S. aid included condoms for Hamas in Gaza—despite the hospital being 7,000 miles away.c2bce5
Musk fired back swiftly. On X, he challenged Gates: “Show us any evidence” linking DOGE cuts to deaths, dismissing the claims as fearmongering from “backbenchers.”A Trump spokesperson echoed the defense, hailing Musk as a “patriot” rooting out fraud. DOGE proponents tout $2 trillion in projected savings, arguing aid often props up corrupt regimes. Yet aid groups report chaos: Nonprofits in Africa and Asia face payment delays, with UNICEF estimating 1.2 million unvaccinated children by year’s end.
This isn’t their first clash. In 2021, Gates snubbed Musk’s space ambitions on the “Sway” podcast, prioritizing earthly health over Mars colonization.
A 2022 meeting to coax Musk into philanthropy soured; Musk later branded Gates an “a-hole” in Walter Isaacson’s biography. Now, with Gates announcing plans to dissolve his foundation by 2045—after disbursing “virtually all” his $140 billion fortune—the contrast sharpens. “Disruption works in startups, not governance,” Gates told Business Insider, critiquing DOGE’s “clumsy” rollout.
Public reaction has been polarized. On X, Musk’s supporters decry Gates as a “globalist meddler,” citing his influence on WHO policies and vaccine mandates. Posts from users like JamesMelville highlight Labour’s hypocrisy: Ed Miliband blasted Musk as an “unelected” interloper, yet courts billionaires like Gates and BlackRock’s Larry Fink.bConversely, Gates’ allies, including aid advocates, praise his moral clarity. “Musk’s politics are a woodchipper for the vulnerable,” tweeted one NGO director.
As DOGE eyes further reforms—targeting climate aid next—the stakes rise. European elections loom, with AfD polling at 20% and Reform UK surging. Will Musk’s endorsements tip scales, or provoke backlash? Gates, ever the strategist, hints at more giving: $20 billion pledged this year alone for health equity.
In a Deadline interview post-Trump dinner, Gates called their three-hour chat “productive” but reiterated: Musk’s foreign meddling is “really insane.” For now, the billionaire bromance is buried under policy rubble. As one X user quipped: “Gates saves lives; Musk memes them away.”With global crises mounting—from Gaza aid shortfalls to German unrest—this feud is no longer personal; it’s perilously public.
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