After years of remaining politically uninvolved, Bill Gates, one of the world’s wealthiest individuals, has privately revealed that he recently contributed approximately $50 million to a nonprofit organization supporting Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign, according to three individuals familiar with the situation.
The donation was intended to remain confidential. Gates, a co-founder of Microsoft, has not publicly endorsed Harris, making this contribution a notable departure from his previous reluctance to engage in such political donations.
In private conversations this year, Gates has voiced concerns about the potential implications of a second term for Donald Trump, although he has mentioned that he could collaborate with either candidate. While he doesn’t have a close relationship with Harris, he has praised the Biden-Harris administration for its efforts in addressing climate change. His philanthropic organization, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is particularly worried about possible reductions in family planning and global health programs if Trump is re-elected, according to two sources connected to the foundation.
Gates’s donation was made to Future Forward, the primary outside fundraising group backing Harris, as reported by the sources.He has talked about his support for Harris with colleagues, including former New York City mayor Mike Bloomberg, a key supporter of Future Forward, who has also considered making a comparable contribution. Gates’s funds specifically went to Future Forward’s nonprofit arm, Future Forward USA Action, which operates as a 501(c)(4) “dark money” organization and is not required to disclose its donors. As a result, Gates’s contribution will not be recorded in any public filings.
In response to the news, Gates did not confirm the donation or endorse Harris but emphasized his commitment to bipartisanship, stating that “this election is different.”
