Warren Buffett has cut the Gates Foundation out of his annual donation for the first time in 20 years — and he says Bill Gates’ ties to Jeffrey Epstein are “distasteful.”
Story Highlights
- Buffett donated nearly $6 billion in Berkshire Hathaway shares to his children’s foundations in July 2026, leaving out the Gates Foundation for the first time since 2006.
- Buffett called Bill Gates’ association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein “distasteful” and said he has not spoken to Gates since the Epstein files were released.
- The Gates Foundation hired law firm WilmerHale to review its past ties to Epstein, and Buffett said he is waiting to see the results before making any future donation decisions.
- Justice Department documents showed Gates and Epstein had multiple meetings about philanthropy — even after Epstein’s 2008 guilty plea for sex crimes.
Buffett Breaks a 20-Year Giving Tradition
Warren Buffett, 95, announced his midyear donation of almost $6 billion in Berkshire Hathaway shares in July 2026. He split the gift among four foundations run by his children. The Gates Foundation, which had received billions from Buffett every year since 2006, got nothing this time. Buffett told CNBC the decision was not a surprise to Gates, saying he gave him advance notice before going public.
Buffett has long been one of the Gates Foundation’s biggest supporters. His giving to the foundation stretched back two decades and totaled tens of billions of dollars. Ending that tradition is a major break — and the reason points directly to the Epstein scandal swirling around Bill Gates.
Buffett Calls Gates-Epstein Ties “Distasteful”
In a CNBC interview on July 15, 2026, Buffett used plain language to describe how he feels. He called Gates’ association with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein “distasteful.” He also said he has not spoken to Gates at all since the government released the Epstein files. That silence between two men who built one of the most famous partnerships in philanthropy speaks volumes.
Buffett was careful not to accuse Gates of any crime. He told CNBC he does not believe Gates had anything to do with Epstein’s criminal activity. But Buffett made clear the association itself troubled him. Back in March 2026, he told Reuters he was “not ready to commit” to future donations, adding: “I’ll wait and see what unfolds. I’m learning things I didn’t know.”
What the Epstein Files Revealed About Gates
Justice Department documents showed that Gates and Epstein met multiple times to discuss philanthropy — even after Epstein pleaded guilty to sex crimes in 2008. A small group of Gates Foundation staff also had contact with Epstein for fundraising purposes, though the foundation says no money changed hands. Gates himself testified before the House Oversight Committee in June 2026, calling his decision to meet with Epstein “a serious error in judgment.”
The Gates Foundation hired the law firm WilmerHale to conduct an outside review of all past interactions with Epstein. That review was expected to wrap up in summer 2026. Buffett has said he is waiting for those findings before deciding whether he will ever donate to the foundation again. His patience has a limit — and right now, the Gates Foundation is on the outside looking in.
A Reckoning for Billionaire Philanthropy
This story is bigger than one donation. For years, the Gates Foundation has operated as one of the most powerful private institutions on earth, shaping global health policy, education funding, and more — all without a single vote cast by the public. Buffett’s withdrawal shines a light on a simple question: who holds these mega-foundations accountable? When the answer is “no one,” scandals like this one fill the void.
Warren Buffett Just Cut the Bill Gates Foundation From His Annual Donation for the First Time Since 2006.https://t.co/GmX2MKo4sa
— Karla (@Sur5r_1) July 16, 2026
Conservatives have long raised concerns about unelected billionaires using private wealth to drive public policy. The Epstein connection adds a darker layer to those concerns. Gates has pledged to give away $200 billion over his lifetime. But trust, once broken, is hard to rebuild — and even Buffett, his closest philanthropic ally, is now watching from a distance.
Sources:
cnn.com, money.usnews.com, livemint.com
