Bill Gates Warns Musk’s USAID Cuts Could Cause Millions of Deaths

Bill Gates has made a strong proclamation about the disastrous implications of cuts to foreign aid, specifically not just calling out Elon Musk, but the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) for cutting funding to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Gates contends that dismantling the agency’s global apparatus could lead to millions of deaths.

In an unfiltered interview with CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, Bill Gates expressed his concern over what he referred to as the reckless and short-sighted nature of animal leadership in government led by Musk. “When Elon went into government, if his thing really was about efficiency or using AI, you know, of course we should be more efficient in government,

the Microsoft cofounder said,

“If that was it, then that would be a good thing for him to put his time and expertise into. The transformation into cutting these people—I never expected that. And some of that should be put back out there.”

Gates comments suggest concern from the global aid sector, as many have reacted to the massive loss of operational capacity at USAID since the Trump administration’s appointment of Musk to lead DOGE.

“I ran USAID through a woodchipper,” Musk said, prompting outrage from humanitarian NGOs and former staff.

Cancelled contracts, intermittent payments, and other issues have left many NGOs in limbo. Some programs are facing a total shut down. Some contracts were tentatively reinstated after a campaign by the public exerted pressure, but the damage is done to bi and global healthcare and development programs.

Gates emphasized that these cuts come at a particularly dangerous time. “We’re in a global health emergency, and both the U.S. and European governments are pulling back their support,” he said. “The consequences are real and measurable—not just in statistics, but in human lives.”

The broader implications of these actions, according to Gates, go beyond aid logistics. They undermine global trust, destabilize regions already vulnerable to poverty and disease, and signal a shift in America’s role in international leadership.