In recent weeks, Musk has launched a series of unfounded attacks on British politicians, accusing them of covering up a decade-old scandal. The UK is currently preparing new online safety regulations that could impact some of Musk’s businesses, including social media platform X.
Musk – the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX – also gave a Nazi-style salute at a recent rally and, after facing global condemnation, responded with a series of puns on the word “Nazi.” The incident coincided with the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.
Gates also criticized Musk for aligning not just with right-wing figures but with even more extreme ones, such as British anti-Islam activist Tommy Robinson, over figures like Reform party leader and Brexit advocate Nigel Farage.
Musk has also expressed full support for the far-right, anti-immigrant Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party.
“You want to promote the right wing but say Nigel Farage is not right-wing enough,” Gates told the Sunday Times. “I mean, this is insane shit. You are for the AfD…
“If someone is super-smart – and he is – they should think about how they can help out. But this is just populist stirring.”
The Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist accused Musk of “overreach” and warned about the dangers of billionaires meddling in global politics.
“It’s really insane that he can destabilize political situations in countries,” Gates said. “In the US, foreigners aren’t allowed to donate to political campaigns; other countries should consider safeguards to prevent ultra-wealthy foreigners from distorting their elections.
“It’s hard to understand why someone who owns car factories in China and Germany, whose rocket business depends on international relations, and who is busy running five companies, is so obsessed with this grooming story in the UK. I’m like, what?”
Gates, who donated $50 million to Kamala Harris’s campaign before she lost to Donald Trump in November’s US election, has given nearly $60 billion through his foundation, primarily for eradicating diseases like polio, malaria, and HIV. However, his funding of vaccines during the Covid-19 pandemic made him a target of backlash from US Republicans.
“Robert Kennedy Jr. called me a child killer trying to make billions of dollars,” Gates said, referring to the vaccine skeptic Trump has chosen as health secretary. “You have to have a sense of humor. The world is not logical right now, and you have to accept that you might be treated as the Antichrist for trying to help.”
Despite past criticism, Gates met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago on December 27 for a three-hour dinner. “It was quite an engaging conversation where he listened to me talk about HIV, the need for continued generosity, and innovation for a cure,” Gates said. “I talked a lot about polio, energy, and nuclear, and he wasn’t dismissive.”
“In some ways, he is feeling more comfortable and vindicated than ever, so he is confident,” Gates added, explaining why he had no reservations about meeting the populist president. “Well, he is the most powerful person in the world, and his decision on whether to continue funding HIV programs alone made the trip worth it—or encouraging Pakistan and Afghanistan to take polio eradication seriously.”
Gates noted that he met with Trump more frequently during his first term than with Joe Biden in the White House. “I had many times when they’d say, ‘We think you’re going to see President Biden today,’ but six times in a row, it didn’t happen,” he said, explaining that he was instead invited to meet National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan or other officials.
Trump, Gates said, “has a lot of ability to help me… Will he fund infectious disease innovation or cut it? I need to stay close. Whoever manages to get Trump enthusiastic about the right things is doing God’s work.”
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