The Microsoft co-founder and billionaire said he had a “brief meeting” with President Donald Trump and a “long meeting” with chief of staff Susie Wiles.

Summary

Bill Gates met with Trump and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles to advocate for continuing USAID’s foreign aid programs.

The Trump administration has frozen them amid scrutiny from Elon Musk.

Gates praised USAID as the world’s best development agency and warned its dismantling would be difficult to reverse.

While Trump and Wiles’ response was unclear, Gates noted he had not spoken with Musk, who has called USAID a “criminal organization” and pushed for deep federal workforce cuts.

  • niketunic@lemmy.world
    302·
    6 hours ago

    Gates had an interview with some news network about meeting with Trump a few days after his inauguration. Of course he was kissing ass, saying it was a great conversation, that Trump was deeply engaged and wanted to help with HIV/AIDS research.

    Less than 2 weeks later Trump killed aid for foreign countries and killed USAID. Wonder if Gates is still willing to bend the knee and kiss ass.

    coward

    • errer@lemmy.worldEnglish
      14·
      4 hours ago

      He went to the White House to try and alter the decision. It might be futile but at least he is trying. I hope when the inevitable “lol no” comes from the Trump admin that he raises a stink at that point but it’s ok to try as a first step.

      • Paddzr@lemmy.world
        3·
        2 hours ago

        These cunts are not worth responding to. They’re hell bent on hating. The person you responded to doesn’t care. Gates can’t win in no matter the situation.

        Its the greatest loss we had, lack of empathy and just complete disregard for anyone involved. These people cherish what’s happening because it strokes their hate boner.

        • Regrettable_incident@lemmy.world
          1·
          19 minutes ago

          Yeah, I mean at least the bill gates foundation does helps do some good for some people. That’s a whole lot more than trump and his carnival of horrors. Billionaires shouldn’t be a thing that exists though.

    • swan_pr@lemmy.ca
      1·
      1 hour ago

      I was kind of annoyed with all the Gate praise after this article came out. Sure he decried Mr Sieg Heil, but he also said this:

      “In some ways he is feeling more comfortable and vindicated than at any time in his life, so he is confident,” Gates said, explaining that he did not feel any reluctance to visit the populist rightwing president. “Well, he is the most powerful person in the world and his decision over whether to consider changing HIV funding alone would make the trip worth it, or to encourage Pakistan and Afghanistan to take polio eradication seriously.”

      Gates added that he met Trump more frequently during his first term as president than he did Joe Biden during his Oval Office tenure. He said: “I had a lot of times when I would go to the White House and they would say, ‘We think you are going to see President Biden today,’ but six times in a row it didn’t happen,” adding that he was instead invited to meet the national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, or other staff.

      Trump, Gates said, “has a lot of ability to help me … Is he going to fund infectious disease innovation or end it? I need to stay close. Whoever gets to enthuse President Trump about the right things, that is God’s work.”