Warren Buffett Ends Gates Foundation Donations Amid Epstein Scrutiny

In a candid interview with CNBC, the 95-year-old Berkshire Hathaway chairman addressed the controversy surrounding Gates, who recently testified before the House Oversight Committee regarding his meetings with Epstein between 2011 and 2014. While Buffett described Gates’ judgment as flawed, he stopped short of condemnation, noting that everyone makes errors in human assessment. He likened the situation to the inevitable miscalculations common in high-level networking, suggesting he could envision himself in a similar position of misplaced trust.

Beyond the social optics, the shift in funding marks a strategic change in Buffett’s succession plan. Having already provided the Gates Foundation with over $47 billion, he expressed confidence that the organization possesses sufficient financial firepower to sustain its operations through 2045. Buffett now intends to direct his remaining wealth—nearly 99% of his estate—to his three children, tasking them with disbursing the funds by 2034. Despite the public distancing, the two men recently met in Omaha for a lengthy conversation, maintaining a decades-long personal bond that began in 1991. The foundation, meanwhile, remains secure, bolstered by a $200 billion commitment from Gates.