Elon Musk Tells Bill Gates to ‘Make Up the Difference’ on U.S. Health Aid Cuts

Microsoft founder Bill Gates recently took to the microblogging platform X to express his concerns about the U.S. government’s health aid cuts. According to Gates, “The facts are simple and devastating: Aid cuts have already cost lives, and the number of deaths will continue to rise.” He warned that ending PEPFAR-supported programs for people living with HIV could have dire consequences, stating that it “could result in an additional 4.2 million deaths by 2029”.

Elon Musk responded sharply to Bill Gates’ concerns about U.S. health aid cuts, agreeing with X user John Hawkins’ comment. Hawkins said, “Bro, you are worth 117 billion dollars. If you really think aid cuts are costing lives, feel free to make up the difference.” Musk replied with a simple “Exactly”.

Musk took it further, suggesting Gates’ unhappiness stems from his organization no longer receiving billions in U.S. taxpayer money, saying, “The real reason Bill Gates is unhappy is that HIS organization isn’t getting billions in U.S. taxpayer money anymore.” This exchange highlights the ongoing debate between the two billionaires on philanthropy and government spending.

Elon Musk and Bill Gates have a long-standing feud, partly due to Gates’ reported short position against Tesla stock. Musk had previously warned Gates about the potential consequences of this bet, stating, “If Tesla does become the world’s most valuable company by far, that short position will bankrupt even Bill Gates”. This tension was reignited when Musk said Gates might go bankrupt if Tesla becomes “the world’s most valuable company by far”. The disagreement between the two billionaires extends beyond finances, with public exchanges on various topics.

Bill Gates reportedly lost $1.5 billion due to his short position against Tesla, as revealed in Walter Isaacson’s biography of Elon Musk. Gates had bet against Tesla’s stock, expecting its value to decline, but the company’s stock surged instead, resulting in significant losses for him.

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