Melinda French Gates slams billionaires who aren’t giving away enough of their wealth
In a recent interview with Wired, Melinda French Gates emphasized the urgent need for billionaires in the United States to increase their philanthropic efforts. French Gates, who co-founded the Giving Pledge with her ex-husband Bill Gates and billionaire investor Warren Buffett in 2010, argued that while some signatories have made substantial donations, their contributions still fall short of what is necessary. With a personal wealth of $17.2 billion, she underscored that those who have benefited from the United States’ resources—such as its education system and regulatory environment—have a moral obligation to give back significantly more. “If you live in this country and started a business, you benefited from this country,” she stated, invoking the principle that “to whom much is given, much is expected.”
The Giving Pledge, which now counts 250 individuals from 30 countries among its signatories, encourages billionaires to commit at least half of their wealth to charitable causes. Prominent figures like Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Larry Ellison have pledged their support, but French Gates’ critique highlights a growing concern about the adequacy of their contributions. She refrained from naming specific billionaires but pointed out that the vast wealth accumulated by some is often accompanied by a lack of corresponding generosity. Her call for increased giving resonates with similar sentiments expressed by other public figures, including singer Billie Eilish, who recently remarked on the responsibility of billionaires to share their wealth during her acceptance speech at the WSJ Magazine Innovator Awards.
As she continues her philanthropic work through Pivotal Ventures, focusing on women’s issues, French Gates’ comments serve as a reminder of the ongoing conversation about wealth distribution and social responsibility. The urgency of her message is underscored by high-profile examples of philanthropy, such as MacKenzie Scott’s recent $70 million donation to the United Negro College Fund. French Gates’ advocacy for greater charitable contributions from the ultrawealthy not only reflects her commitment to social equity but also raises critical questions about the role of billionaires in addressing pressing societal challenges.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJpN-77eHQs
Melinda French Gates said the wealthy in the US were not giving away enough of their wealth.
STEFANI REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images
Melinda French Gates said billionaires are not giving away enough of their money.
She said those who have benefited from businesses in the US should give back “far more than they are.”
Gates started the Giving Pledge with Bill Gates and Warren Buffett in 2010.
Melinda French Gates
has a message for the ultrawealthy: Give more money away.
In a Tuesday interview with Wired, Gates spoke about the
Giving Pledge
, a movement she started in 2010 with her ex-husband, Microsoft’s cofounder Bill Gates, and Warren Buffett, the chair of Berkshire Hathaway.
French Gates said that some of the people who signed the Giving Pledge, which encourages billionaires to donate a significant portion of their wealth, have been giving money at a “massive scale.”
“But have they given enough? No,” she said.
She said those who have amassed “enormous amounts of wealth” have benefited from the US’s education system, regulatory environment, and venture capital system. French Gates is worth $17.2 billion, per the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
“If you live in this country and started a business, you benefited from this country,” French Gates said. “And I believe to whom much is given, much is expected, and they should be giving back more, far more than they are.”
She did not name specific billionaires in the interview.
The Giving Pledge’s website says that 250 individuals from 30 countries have taken the pledge. Its signatories include Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Oracle’s technology chief Larry Ellison, and venture capitalist Reid Hoffman.
The website spotlights billionaires’ contributions to various charities, such as philanthropist MacKenzie Scott’s $70 million donation to the UNCF in September.
French Gates cofounded and cochaired The Gates Foundation with Bill Gates before leaving in June 2024. She now runs
Pivotal Ventures
, a group of philanthropic organizations focusing on women’s issues.
French Gates’ comments in the Wired interview echo those of
singer Billie Eilish
during her acceptance speech at the WSJ Magazine Innovator Awards in October. The guest list at the awards included billionaires like Zuckerberg and filmmaker George Lucas.
“Love you all, but there’s a few people in here that have a lot more money than me,” Eilish said. “If you are a billionaire
,
why are you a billionaire? No hate, but yeah, give your money away, shorties.”
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