Bill Gates donates $50m to Kamala Harris: report

‘I support candidates who demonstrate a clear commitment to improving health care, reducing poverty and fighting climate change’

• Pramod Thomas
• 24 October, 2024

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By: Pramod Thomas

BILLIONAIRE philanthropist Bill Gates has privately contributed $50 million (£41m) to support vice president Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign, breaking from his long-standing practice of staying neutral in political campaigns.

For many years, Gates refrained from donating to presidential candidates, maintaining a non-partisan stance. However, the tight race between Harris and her Republican opponent, former president Donald Trump, has led Gates to change his approach, reports said.

The donation, as reported by the New York Times, was made through a non-profit organisation called Future Forward, which backs Harris in her campaign.

Notably, Future Forward operates as a “dark money” group, meaning it is not required to disclose its donors publicly, allowing Gates to keep his involvement out of the spotlight.

While Gates has not officially endorsed Harris, his significant financial support signals his concern over the outcome of this election.

According to sources who spoke to the New York Times, Gates is particularly worried about the implications of another Trump administration, specifically regarding funding for family planning and global health programmes. These concerns have driven him to engage in a political campaign for the first time in years, the report added.

In a statement to the newspaper, Gates stressed that this election holds extraordinary importance, though he stopped short of confirming the donation directly or endorsing Harris.

“I support candidates who demonstrate a clear commitment to improving health care, reducing poverty and fighting climate change in the US and around the world,” he was quoted as saying. “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.”

According to reports, Gates’s children, Rory and Phoebe Gates, who are in their mid-to-late twenties, have also played a role in this shift. Both have been active Democratic donors, contributing millions to Democratic causes, and have reportedly encouraged their parents to do the same.

Trump, meanwhile, has threatened to go after the supporters of Harris, including her biggest donors.