Bill Gates secretly donated $50 million to a political group, the pro-Harris super PAC (Political Action Committee). A super PAC is a group that can collect and spend a lot of money to help political candidates like Harris.
These groups help the candidates without working directly with their campaigns. Donations to super PACs can influence elections because they help pay for advertisements and other efforts from candidates to reach voters.
Bill Gates, one of the wealthiest people in the world, is well-known for his charity work. He does most of these charities through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which focuses on important issues like health care and education.
These issues motivate his political donations. By donating $50 million to this group supporting Harris, he shows that he believes in the issues she wants to address, such as social justice and public health.
Bill Gates and His Secret $50 Million Donation
The 68-year-old billionaire, one of the wealthiest people in the world, is keeping his position on the upcoming presidential election in the dark. Bill Gates has not publicly supported any candidates for the presidential election. However, he recently donated money to a nonprofit organization called Future Forward USA Action, a Silicon Valley PAC.
The pro-Harris super PAC Future Forward USA Action works on political issues. However, the group does not reveal who gave it the money. Due to this discretion, we will not know the amount of money Bill Gates donated. Reports only mention that it is about $50 million.
This donation shows Bill Gates’ ongoing involvement in political discussions, mainly since what he supports reflects issues like climate change and public health. By supporting organizations like Future Forward USA Action, Gates may be trying to influence policies that align with his values and societal goals.
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Gates’ Statement on the 2024 Election
Despite the sizeable amount Bill Gates donated, he has not publicly chosen a candidate. However, he said this particular election feels different and vital. He also explained that he would support political candidates who are strong and transparent about their dedication to doing important things.
These include improving healthcare, reducing poverty, and fighting climate change. The billionaire mentioned that he would support political candidates who implement these factors in the United States and worldwide.
For years, Gates has been known for his work in philanthropy through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. This foundation focuses on global health, education, and climate change. Therefore, his statement aligns with his long-term priorities of improving global living conditions.
The foundation is one of the largest and most influential in the world. It often supports initiatives addressing significant global challenges like poverty and disease. So, his reason for supporting a particular candidate does not seem so far-fetched.
Gates’ Previous Stance on Political Donations
Bill Gates is known for making significant donations, but he once said he prefers not to give large amounts of money to political causes or candidates. He explained that while some people find it tempting to make significant political donations, he chooses not to.
Bill Gates made this known during an interview at the New York Times Dealbook conference in 2019. He said that although others might want to use their wealth to amplify their political voice, he does not want to do that. He feels that using money to influence political outcomes will give a person too much power. The founder of Microsoft said he would rather avoid taking such a prominent role in political matters.
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Gates’ Views on Harris and Al
After Kamala Harris announced her candidacy for president in July, Bill Gates commented on his thoughts. When a news station interviewed him, he said it was “great” to have someone younger running for the presidency, especially since she could focus on significant issues like artificial intelligence (AI).
Gates seemed to think that a younger candidate might have new ideas about technology, which he believes is becoming more critical for the future.
Other billionaires have also supported Kamala Harris in her political campaign. One of them is Reed Hastings, the head of Netflix. Hastings gave $7 million to help with her election.
Another big name is Mike Bloomberg, a wealthy businessman and former mayor of New York City. According to the New York Times, he has thought about giving an amount similar to Bill Gates’ $50 million donation to the Future Forward PAC, which supports Harris and her goals. These large donations show that some very wealthy people are backing her campaign in a big way.
Elon Musk’s Active Support for Trump
While Harris has many wealthy supporters, X and Tesla owner Elon Musk is not among them. Musk stated that he would support Donald Trump. Through his political action committee (PAC) called America PAC, Elon Musk has reportedly spent over $100 million on the 2024 election. Much of that money goes toward promoting Trump and opposing Vice President Kamala Harris.
Also, since July, America PAC has spent $201,021 on advertising on X. These advertisements have majorly supported Trump’s re-election campaign. Elon Musk’s open support for Trump stands out, especially when compared to the more cautious approach taken by billionaires like Mark Zuckerberg and Jamie Dimon.
Zuckerberg has not endorsed any candidate for the election or made any known donation. However, Trump alluded that he might not be pro-Harris. The former president claimed the CEO of Meta called him and said, “There is no way I can vote for a Democrat in this election.”
Zuckerberg’s media team has since denied that he made any phone calls to Trump. The Facebook co-founder is one of many prominent business figures distancing themselves from Donald Trump’s claims.
Earlier this month, Trump posted a photo on his social media platform, Truth Social. He implied that Dimon, the CEO of JPMorgan Chase, was supporting him. Dimon quickly denied this claim as well. He made it clear that he had not endorsed Trump. This makes Musk one of the few billionaires openly supporting the former president.
Musk’s $1 Million Daily Giveaway to Swing-State Voters
In line with his support, Musk announced his plan to give away $1 million daily to one voter from key swing states in the U.S. However, to have a better chance of getting the money, these voters would have to sign a petition he created.
Elon Musk’s petition supports two main causes: free speech and the right to bear arms. This means American citizens should have the right to say what they want and to own and carry guns.
Swing states are important in U.S. elections because their votes can go either to the Democratic or Republican party. They include Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Virginia, Georgia, Florida, Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, Colorado, Wisconsin, Maine, and North Carolina.
This move from Elon Musk could influence how people in these states vote. While this plan sounds ambitious, there has not yet been any confirmed evidence that Musk has started giving away the money.
The billionaire’s statement could significantly impact political discussions, especially since it concerns free speech and gun rights. However, according to news reports, some experts have said that Elon Musk’s plan to give away money might break the law.
Experts believe that offering money to voters could be seen as an attempt to influence their votes. This act is against the rules in elections. Even though Musk says it supports free speech and gun rights, it might still be against the law.
Elon Musk is not the only rich and influential person in Silicon Valley who has supported Donald Trump. Another Silicon Valley supporter is Peter Thiel, a billionaire co-founder of the tech company Palantir. Thiel has backed Trump for a long time.
However, his case is a bit different from Elon Musk’s. Thiel recently said he would not give any political candidates money in 2024. Another wealthy supporter is David Sacks, a business investor and friend of Elon Musk, who has also supported the Republican Party.
Prominent tech figures are not the only ones who are supporting Trump. The former president has also received support from groups that raise money for political causes. He gets a lot of support from these political action committees (PACs) and people involved in cryptocurrency.
These groups and individuals back Donald Trump because they believe his policies suit their businesses, especially in technology and financial matters. This shows that Trump has support from the tech industry and the fast-growing crypto world, even though Bill Gates is not one of them.