In a grand gesture that’s raising more eyebrows than applause in some circles, Microsoft co-founder and billionaire globalist Bill Gates announced this week that he intends to give away “virtually all” of his estimated $200 billion fortune—but many are asking: to whom, and with what oversight?
Gates, 69, told CBS News that he plans to shed 99% of his wealth over the next two decades, shuttering the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation by December 31, 2045. The foundation, launched in 2000 with his then-wife Melinda, has long positioned itself as a leader in global philanthropy. Yet critics have questioned whether its priorities align more with progressive ideology and top-down global governance than with transparent, accountable aid.
While Gates claims the move was inspired by the foundation’s vaccine programs in impoverished nations—targeting illnesses like diarrhea and pneumonia—he also lamented what he described as “stalling progress” due to the U.S. and Europe “cutting back” on foreign aid. In other words, Gates is stepping in to fill the vacuum left by elected governments that are prioritizing their own citizens during turbulent times.
It’s a revealing moment: rather than encouraging local empowerment or national sovereignty, Gates seems intent on continuing a centralized, technocratic approach to solving the world’s problems—this time on a scale even larger than before.
“There are too many urgent problems to solve for me to hold onto resources that could be used to help people,” Gates said in a statement. “People will say a lot of things about me when I die, but I am determined that ‘he died rich’ will not be one of them.”
But critics aren’t so sure the money will go where it’s truly needed. Much of the foundation’s focus in recent years has aligned with left-wing causes, including heavy investment in global climate change initiatives, woke education reform, and even involvement in controversial vaccine distribution programs during the COVID-19 pandemic—many of which raised concerns about overreach and coercion.
The Gates Foundation boasts that it has already distributed more than $100 billion, with a sizable chunk coming from Gates himself and Warren Buffett, another billionaire known for his support of progressive causes. But with Buffett having stepped away from the foundation in 2021 and Melinda French Gates now launching her own initiative to champion “women’s rights”—code for left-wing activism on abortion and gender policy—the future direction of the foundation remains murky.
For his part, Gates tried to end on a light note, quipping: “I will save a little bit to be able to buy hamburgers as much as I need.” But the reality is far less humorous. With billions of dollars about to be funneled into non-governmental organizations, international health bodies, and global institutions—with little transparency and no voter accountability—many Americans are right to ask: who elected Bill Gates to decide the future of the world?
It’s the largest philanthropic commitment in modern history, yes. But conservatives will be watching closely to see if it becomes the biggest case of unelected influence in modern history, too.
Will Gates’ wealth fund goodwill—or global control? Only time will tell.
