Billionaire venture capitalist Peter Thiel reportedly advised his long-time associate, Elon Musk, to reconsider quitting the Giving Pledge, under which signatories would donate most of their wealth charity.
Thiel Wary Of ‘Antichrist’, Report Says
Thiel, in a series of lectures given in San Francisco last month, expressed his concerns about the potential emergence of an “Antichrist” figure on the global stage, according to a report by Reuters.
Thiel said he has grown wary that an Antichrist will emerge who will create a one-world government on the promise of something like stopping nuclear, AI or climate-induced disaster, the report said.
The German-American entrepreneur is famous as Vice President JD Vance‘s political benefactor and an early supporter of President Donald Trump. As a technology investor, he is known for betting early on Facebook, now called Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META), and for co-founding software company Palantir (NASDAQ:PLTR).
Thiel also shared an anecdote about how he warned Musk that his wealth might end up with “left-wing non-profits that will be chosen by Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) co-founder Bill Gates.
Musk joined the Giving Pledge in 2012. Thiel, however, voiced concerns that many of the world's richest individuals fail to think about what will happen to their fortunes after death. He reportedly showed Musk, using actuarial tables, that the statistical likelihood of his death within a year would effectively mean giving $1.4 billion to Gates, Reuters reported.
“What am I supposed to do—give it to my children?” Musk allegedly responded.
“You know, it would be much worse to give it to Bill Gates,” Thiel quipped back.
Musk–Gates Feud On Philanthropy
Musk, now the world’s richest man with an estimated fortune of $453 billion, has had a long-time feud with Gates. The Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) boss has publicly criticized Gates for allegedly shorting the EV-maker’s stock and then asking Musk for a donation to his climate philanthropy. This public spat is part of a larger disagreement between the two billionaires over their differing views on philanthropy and efficiency.
Gates was also quite vocal in criticizing Musk’s clampdown on the USAID and PEPFAR programs and other DOGE-related cuts in federal systems.
Despite their differences, both billionaires have shown commitment to philanthropy. Musk donated Tesla shares worth over $101 million to charity before 2025, while Gates intends to boost his foundation’s charitable contributions in the coming two decades.
Read Next:
Image via Shutterstock
