Bill Gates Slams Foreign Aid Cuts: “Lives Are at Stake — It’s Not Too Late to Act”
Bill Gates has spoken out strongly against recent U.S. cuts to global aid programs, calling the decision “devastating” but still reversible. The billionaire philanthropist and Microsoft co-founder urged policymakers to restore funding for critical international initiatives, warning that the consequences of inaction are already proving fatal.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Gates responded to a report describing dire conditions in parts of Africa, where health workers are facing alarming shortages. The report included an account from an anonymous aid worker who said shipments of HIV medication for children had been delayed for months, with current supplies close to expiring. The same worker noted a lack of oxygen tubes for newborns and insufficient medication for treating sexually transmitted infections.
“These cuts are entirely preventable—and it’s not too late to reverse them,” Gates wrote.
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which has long been a major driver of global health and development programs, was effectively dismantled after the Trump administration placed several of its staff on administrative leave earlier this year. USAID officially ceased operations on June 30 and has since been folded into the State Department.
In a recent statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said future aid will be “targeted and time-limited.” A review is also underway concerning funding from PEPFAR (the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief), a vital U.S. initiative responsible for supplying medication and support for HIV/AIDS patients worldwide.
Gates, speaking during a visit to Ethiopia last month, criticized the abrupt nature of these funding rollbacks. “Some of these cuts have been so sudden that clinical trials were disrupted, and life-saving medicines are stuck in warehouses, unable to reach those who need them,” he said.
The Gates Foundation has long worked in partnership with USAID and PEPFAR, investing billions into public health, disease prevention, and poverty reduction around the globe. Earlier this year, the foundation announced a plan for Gates to donate nearly all of his wealth over the next two decades, highlighting the growing shortfall in government aid as a driving force.
In addition to cuts affecting USAID and PEPFAR, the Trump administration has also signaled its intention to end support for Gavi, a vaccine alliance co-founded by the Gates Foundation in 1999 that has played a crucial role in immunizing children in low-income countries.
In the past, Gates has supported political leaders who prioritize global health. He donated $50 million to the campaign of Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and met with then-President Trump in Florida last December. However, Secretary of State Rubio has declined meetings with Gates since assuming office earlier this year.
As the situation unfolds, Gates continues to push for urgent action. “This isn’t about politics,” he said. “It’s about lives we can still save—if we act now.”
