Bill Gates Organizations Lose Funding- Public Sentiment Turns Negative for WHO and Global Health Allies
The intersection of U.S. Government funding, Bill Gates’ global health initiatives, and Donald Trump’s policy shifts has sparked fresh headlines in early 2025. With the U.S. poised to exit the World Health Organization (WHO) and billions flowing to Gates-linked organizations, the billionaire philanthropist’s influence is under scrutiny.
Meanwhile, Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance—co-founded by Gates—continues to receive substantial U.S. backing. USAID has committed $4.88 billion to Gavi, with a $4 billion grant through 2030 and $880 million in additional funds, per grant records cited in X posts and USAID documentation. This funding persists despite Trump’s freeze on some foreign aid, a move Gates criticized in a February 18 Fortune interview, warning that cuts could cause “millions of deaths.” Gates’ concerns coincide with the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, eyeing USAID reductions.
On January 20, 2025, Trump signed an executive order withdrawing the U.S. from the WHO, effective January 2026, slashing its largest funding source—$1.28 billion in 2022-2023 (WHO Funding Data). The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, contributing roughly 10% of the WHO’s budget, stands as the second-largest donor (Gates Foundation). Experts warn this could deepen the WHO’s reliance on Gates, amplifying his sway over global health policy. No public statement from Gates has addressed potential increases in WHO support, but the shift has reignited debates about private influence in public institutions.
Gates met Trump post-Christmas 2024 at Mar-a-Lago, advocating for programs like PEPFAR, which has received over $110 billion from the U.S. since 2003 (Business Insider, Feb 3, 2025). The three-hour talk, Gates said, focused on preserving aid for 10 million lives, though he noted competing voices pushing cuts. Concurrently, the Gates Foundation’s $8.6 billion 2024 budget, set to rise to $9 billion by 2026 (Reuters, Jan 15, 2024), and a $300 million partnership with Novo Nordisk and Wellcome Trust (Gates Foundation) underscore Gates’ proactive stance amid funding uncertainties.
Public reaction on X frames USAID’s Gavi support as opaque, with claims of “secret” billions, though official records suggest transparency. Critics question Gates’ motives—health advocate or power broker? As U.S. policy evolves, Gates’ financial footprint in global health remains a lightning rod.
