Bill Gates has reportedly said privately that he recently donated $50m to a non-profit organization supporting Kamala Harris’s US presidential run, remarking: “This election is different”.
Three people briefed on the matter told the New York Times: “The donation was meant to stay under wraps.”
Such a donation would mark a significant shift for the billionaire and Microsoft co-founder, who has historically steered clear of publicly taking political stances.
In private calls this year to friends, Gates, who has not publicly endorsed Harris and does not have a deep relationship with her, has reportedly “expressed concern about what a second Donald Trump presidency would look like,” a source familiar with the matter told the New York Times.
The Bill & Melinda Gates philanthropic foundation has allegedly expressed serious apprehension over possible reductions in family planning and global health initiatives should Trump secure the presidency, two sources with close ties to the foundation told the newspaper.
Gates, who boasts an estimated fortune of $162bn, reportedly donated the sum to Future Forward, the main outside fundraising group supporting Harris. The group does not disclose its donors and any donation would not appear on a public filing.
In a statement to the newspaper Gates did not explicitly address the donation or endorse Harris, and stressed his bipartisanship, but also said “this election is different”.
“I support candidates who demonstrate a clear commitment to improving healthcare, reducing poverty and fighting climate change in the US and around the world,” he said. “I have a long history of working with leaders across the political spectrum, but this election is different, with unprecedented significance for Americans and the most vulnerable people around the world.”
Gates, as well as his former spouse, Melinda French Gates, has strived to maintain a neutral stance in politics, apparently in an effort to uphold his credibility among both Democratic and Republican circles, in particular those engaged in humanitarian work across the globe.
“I choose not to participate in large political donations,” Gates said in 2019. “There are times it might feel tempting to do so, and there are other people who choose to do so, but I just don’t want to grab that gigantic megaphone.”
His children, Rory and Phoebe Gates, both in their twenties, have reportedly taken an active interest in Democratic contributions and were instrumental in persuading their parents to approach political philanthropy with a more serious outlook.
From Wall Street to Silicon Valley, a growing number of billionaires are backing the two candidates. Many of them have publicly endorsed Trump, such as Stephen Schwarzman, chair of Blackstone, the world’s largest private-equity fund. Others are keeping their preferences and donations secret.
Jamie Dimon, the CEO of JPMorgan Chase, has reportedly said in private that he backs Harris but has not made his stance known publicly for fear of retribution should Trump win. The head of the largest US bank, who has long been floated for senior economic policy positions, said the chance of him being asked to take up a government role should Harris win was “almost nil” but that “I always reserve the right” to reconsider.