Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT), met with President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday.
Bill Gates, Trump Met To Talk US Health And Global Aid
Gates and Trump’s meeting was confirmed by a senior White House official to NBC News.
A spokesperson for Gates later said the discussion focused on the value of U.S. global health programs and the role of health research in saving lives, safeguarding American health, and sustaining U.S. leadership worldwide.
Earlier this month, the Gates Foundation pledged $2.5 billion to support women’s health worldwide, reinforcing its commitment to global health issues.
Lancet Study Links US Aid Cuts to Rising Death Toll
In July, Bill Gates warned that U.S. foreign aid cuts could spark a global health crisis, citing research projecting millions of deaths by 2040. "Aid cuts have already cost lives, and the number of deaths will continue to rise," he wrote on X.
A Lancet preprint estimates 8 million more child deaths, 15.2 million excess AIDS deaths, and 2.2 million additional tuberculosis deaths by 2040 due to reduced U.S. aid.
Gates Pledges Billions to Africa, Pushes USAID Reinstatement
Earlier in June, Gates announced a commitment to allocate the majority of the Gates Foundation's $200 billion budget over the next 20 years to Africa. This move was seen as a response to the proposed cuts to foreign aid under the DOGE program.
In the same month, the billionaire also visited the White House to urge Secretary of State Marco Rubio to reconsider these cuts, which could jeopardize critical programs such as the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
Additionally, Gates’ energy venture, backed by the likes of Jeff Bezos and Jack Ma, is collaborating with Japan to commercialize hydrogen. This move is part of the U.S. nonprofit’s efforts to support decarbonization research and expedite the commercialization of technologies in Japan.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
