Gates quietly backs Harris as Musk pours millions into Trump’s re-election

Bill Gates has privately donated roughly $50 million to a nonprofit presidential campaign endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris for 2024, according to sources familiar with the matter. The contribution was made to Future Forward USA Action, a organization that does not publicly disclose its donors, allowing Gates to keep his support largely secret. While Gates has not formally endorsed Harris, insiders revealed he is increasingly concerned about the potential consequences of a second Trump presidency, particularly in areas such as climate change, global health and family planning.

This involvement marks a new era for American politics, where prominent tech billionaires are taking an active role in shaping the presidential election. Gates, the Microsoft co-founder who has spent much of his public life focusing on philanthropy, now signals that his political stakes are higher than ever. In private conversations, Gates reportedly expressed concern about the rollback of climate policies and cuts in global health funding if Trump returns to office. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has a vested interest in these areas, and Gates’ political commitment is seen as a move to protect years of investment in these fields.

Instead, Elon Musk, another tech heavyweight, has pledged at least $75 million to America PAC, a super PAC dedicated to re-electing Donald Trump. America PAC, which Musk founded, has taken an aggressive approach in swing states, offering up to $1 million a day to sign a petition in support of the Trump campaign. In addition, Musk has leveraged his social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), to amplify Trump’s message, wielding his influence over millions of followers. Musk’s vocal endorsement of Trump aligns with his anti-regulation stance and his disapproval of the Biden-Harris administration’s policies on clean energy subsidies and technology regulations.

Political analysts suggest that these unprecedented contributions from Gates and Musk could be instrumental in what is shaping up to be one of the closest and most contested presidential elections in US history. In battleground states like Arizona, Georgia and Pennsylvania, where margins could be very thin, the financial muscle and digital reach of these tech moguls can tip the balance.

Some experts warn that this active political involvement of major tech figures could reshape the landscape of campaign finance and influence in future elections. America’s business titans have historically been involved in politics through lobbying and strategic alliances, but direct financial contributions of this magnitude from tech leaders represent a significant shift. Both Gates and Musk appear to be moving beyond advocacy to actively seek to shape the direction of the country through their considerable wealth and platforms.

In his statement to The New York Times, Gates reiterated his commitment to support candidates who prioritize health care, poverty reduction and climate action. “I have a long history of working with leaders across the political spectrum, but this election is different, with unprecedented importance for Americans and the world’s most vulnerable people,” he said.

With Gates’ quiet push for Harris and Musk’s open support for Trump, the 2024 election could mark the first high-stakes clash of tech’s multibillion-dollar influence in modern US political history.