The tech world’s most consequential feud has flared up once more. Elon Musk and Invoice Gates, two males who’ve formed the trendy world, are locked in a bitter public dispute, this time over overseas assist cuts with life or dying stakes. The battle pits Musk, in his position spearheading a authorities effectivity initiative, in opposition to Gates, the world’s most outstanding philanthropist. A little bit over a month after Musk’s departure from his position within the Trump administration, the place he led efforts to slash federal spending, Gates took to X, Musk’s personal social community, to sentence the devastating impression of these cuts on international well being. Gates Lays Out the Stakes Drawing on new reviews, Gates offered a grim tally of the human price. “A examine within the Lancet just lately seemed on the cumulative impression of reductions in American assist. It discovered that, by 2040, 8 million extra youngsters will die earlier than their fifth birthday,” Gates posted on July 3, linking to the medical journal’s examine.
He adopted up by highlighting the menace to HIV therapy applications. “In response to a @UNAIDS evaluation, ending PEPFAR-supported applications for folks dwelling with HIV may end in a further 4.2 million deaths by 2029,” Gates acknowledged, offering a hyperlink to the report. Driving the purpose dwelling, he warned that pulling vaccine funding would have catastrophic outcomes. Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, has helped immunize over 1.1 billion youngsters since 2000. “The U.S. introduced that, after this 12 months, it’s pulling out all its cash,” Gates wrote. “If that occurs, Gavi estimates that 75 million youngsters will miss vaccinations over the subsequent 5 years—and of these, 1.2 million youngsters will die.” His conclusion was blunt: “The details are easy and devastating: Support cuts have already price lives, and the variety of deaths will proceed to rise.” Gates argued for a reversal, noting that international well being is a tiny fraction of the federal funds. “In 2023, the US spent lower than one % of the federal funds on lifesaving international well being applications.”
Musk Fires Again Whereas Gates by no means talked about Musk by identify, the world’s richest man felt focused and seized on one other person’s publish to launch a counterattack. The person blasted Gates, writing, “Bro, you’re price $117 billion. Should you actually assume assist cuts are costing lives, be happy to make up the distinction.” Musk’s reply was a single, chopping phrase: “Precisely.” He then added a private jab, dismissing Gates’s philanthropic motives. “The actual motive Gates is sad is that HIS group isn’t getting billions in US taxpayer cash anymore.”
Precisely. The actual motive Gates is sad is that HIS group isn’t getting billions in US taxpayer cash anymore. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 6, 2025 As of July 5, Musk’s web price is estimated at $361 billion by the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, whereas Gates’s fortune sits at $124 billion. The Grudge: It’s At all times About Tesla The animosity between Musk and Gates shouldn’t be new. It stems from a deep grudge Musk holds over Gates for shorting Tesla inventory. Consider brief promoting as betting on failure. A brief vendor borrows shares of a inventory, instantly sells them, and waits for the value to crash. If it does, they purchase the shares again on the new, cheaper price, return them to the lender, and pocket the distinction. It’s a excessive threat transfer that infuriates founders like Musk, who see it as a direct assault on their firm. Shorting shouldn’t be unlawful, however it’s probably the most aggressive strikes you may make out there.
Musk has by no means forgotten Gates’s guess in opposition to his electrical automobile firm and brings it up often. “Gates positioned an enormous guess on Tesla dying when our firm was at one in all its weakest moments a number of years in the past,” Musk posted in September 2023. “Such an enormous brief place additionally drives the inventory down for on a regular basis traders.” He then added, “To the very best of my information, Gates nonetheless has that large guess in opposition to Tesla on the desk. Somebody ought to ask him if he does.”
Simply in order that the general public understands: Taking out a brief place in opposition to Tesla, as Gates did, leads to the very best return provided that an organization goes bankrupt! Gates positioned an enormous guess on Tesla dying when our firm was at one in all its weakest moments a number of years in the past. Such a… — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 11, 2023 Whereas Gates has acknowledged inserting a brief place on Tesla up to now, he has by no means publicly confirmed if the place continues to be energetic, leaving the door open for Musk to proceed fueling the feud.
