Elon Musk Hits Back With Epstein Jab After Bill Gates Accused Him Of 'Killing The World's Poorest Children:' 'I'd Like Him To Show Us Any Evidence'

On Tuesday, Tesla Inc. TSLA CEO Elon Musk clapped back at Bill Gates after the Microsoft Corp. MSFT co-founder said that the tech mogul's cost-cutting efforts at USAID under President Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) could endanger millions of lives.

What Happened: During an onstage interview at the Qatar Economic Forum, Musk pushed back hard on Gates’ accusation that he is "killing the world's poorest children" through what the Microsoft co-founder described as ill-advised U.S. development aid.

In response, Musk demanded proof. "I'd like him to show us any evidence whatsoever that this is true. It's false."

He also asked, "Who does Bill Gates think he is to make comments about the welfare of children, given that he frequented Jeffrey Epstein?" He was referring to Gates' multiple meetings with the late convicted sex offender.

"I wouldn't want that guy to babysit my kids," Musk added.

Gates has repeatedly expressed regret over his association with Epstein, who was found dead in his jail cell in 2019, with the death ruled a suicide. “I will say for the, you know, over hundredth time, yeah, I shouldn’t have had dinners with him,” Gates said in 2023.

Why It's Important: DOGE has reportedly slashed more than 80% of USAID's programs, noted Business Insider, citing Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

"We spent the weekend feeding USAID into the wood chipper," Musk posted on X in February earlier this year.

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However, on Tuesday, Musk said that essential services had been preserved. “They haven’t all been cut. The parts of USAID that were found to be even slightly useful were transferred to the State Department, so no, they’ve not been deleted, they’ve simply been transferred to the State Department,” Musk stated.

Musk's role with DOGE has sparked discussion since he took on the position. Although there have been attempts to reduce expenses, Treasury data reportedly indicates that federal spending has actually risen by $154 billion since President Trump returned to office.

During Tesla's first-quarter earnings call last month, Musk announced plans to scale back his involvement with DOGE. The move comes as investors voice concerns that his political commitments may be diverting attention from Tesla's primary business.

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