Elon Musk has responded to fierce criticism from Bill Gates, following major federal budget cuts under Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Bill Gates accused Musk of ‘killing the world’s poorest children’

Bill Gates accused Elon Musk of killing poor children by slashing global aid and humanitarian programs under Trump’s administration

After Donald Trump’s second inauguration, he appointed Musk to lead a new federal branch: the DOGE.

Within 90 days, he cut thousands of jobs and shuttered multiple programs, including foreign aid.
elon musk hits back at bill gates after he accused him of killing the worl 23811Elon Musk was appointed head of DOGE and cut federal staff, including foreign aid agencies.
Additionally, Musk also pushed mass layoffs across departments—including the foreign aid agency USAID.

USAID was the world’s largest donor of humanitarian assistance, operating with a staff of 10,000 and a $40 billion budget in 2023.

However, Musk’s move didn’t go unnoticed by Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates.

In a scathing interview with the “Financial Times”, Gates blamed Musk’s actions for the collapse of vital humanitarian support systems.

He said: “The world’s richest man is killing the world’s poorest children.”

Gates referred to Musk’s defunding of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), once the world’s largest aid agency.

The billionaire philanthropist emphasized that the cuts caused medicine and food supplies to expire in storage. These essential items never reached the children who needed them.

Bill Gates warns DOGE cuts risk preventable suffering

elon musk hits back at bill gates after he accused him of killing the worl 23810Bill Gates accused Musk of harming the world’s poorest by gutting aid like USAID.
Gates warned that halting medical supply chains could lead to outbreaks of “HIV, measles, and polio”

He accused Musk of cancelling grants to a Gaza hospital that helped prevent HIV transmission from mothers to babies.

Gates said: “Let him meet the children who now have HIV because he cut that money.”
elon musk hits back at bill gates after he accused him of killing the worl 23812Musk called USAID a “criminal organization” and said it was “just a ball of worms.”
Musk claimed called USAID “a criminal organization” and claimed: “You’ve got to basically get rid of the whole thing.”

Bill Gates claimed the dismantling of USAID led to expired medicine and rotting food supplies sitting idle in distribution warehouses.

According to Gates, this has put millions at risk in vulnerable regions, especially where USAID supplied vaccines and nutrition programs.

Diseases like polio, HIV, and measles could surge due to “lack of funding, expired treatments, and halted logistics”, Gates warned.

Elon Musk dismissed Gates’ accusations on social media

On May 8, Musk posted on X (formerly Twitter), responding directly to a video clip of Gates making the accusations.

The tweet simply read: “Gates is a huge liar.”
elon musk hits back at bill gates after he accused him of killing the worl 23814Image Credits: X
The blunt five-word dismissal was Musk’s only direct response to the growing backlash surrounding his management of DOGE.
elon musk hits back at bill gates after he accused him of killing the worl 23813Image Credits: Getty
However, He did not elaborate or address the humanitarian concerns raised. His post has since gone viral, sparking heated online debate.

Elon Musk’s term as DOGE chief has ignited a fierce global debate. Bill Gates** insists the world’s poorest now suffer due to these cuts.

Musk’s supporters see necessary reform. Critics say he’s blind to the real human cost. One thing is clear—this battle over aid and efficiency is far from over.