Bill Gates Quietly Backs Kamala Harris with Groundbreaking Move

Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates has been a public figure for decades, but when it comes to his political spending in the 2024 election, he has made efforts to keep his activities discreet.

That changed on Tuesday when The New York Times revealed that Gates has donated $50 million to a group supporting Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign.

It was "meant to stay under wraps," according to The Times.

Although Gates hasn’t publicly endorsed Harris, the report highlighted that this donation is a significant departure from his usual philanthropy, which has generally avoided direct political involvement. (Though his focus on “climate change” often hints at his political leanings.)

In private conversations, Gates has "expressed concerns" about former President Donald Trump returning to the White House for a second term, The Times reported.

In a public statement for the article about his contribution, Gates stated that "this election is different."

“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,” Gates said in his statement.

This translates into a $50 million contribution to Future Forward, a "fund-raising group supporting Ms. Harris," as The Times described it.

Additionally, Gates has reportedly discussed his contribution with other billionaires, including Mike Bloomberg, who is already backing Future Forward and may make a donation similar to Gates', according to The Times.

The impact of Gates' donation may already be felt by voters, especially in key swing states, though they might not be aware of it.

"Future Forward has been the tip of the spear of the advertising barrage against Mr. Trump this fall," The Times reported.

"Mr. Gates's donation could, even late in the election, help finance anti-Trump ads. The nonprofit arm faces some restrictions on the amount of money it can spend on explicitly anti-Trump messaging, but it has donated over $170 million to the Future Forward super PAC, which faces no such restrictions."

Gates' political spending comes as fellow billionaire Elon Musk has become a prominent supporter of Trump’s campaign, much to the frustration of Democrats and Trump critics.

However, Musk has been open about his political views.

The Times report sparked a wave of reactions on social media, with some accusing Gates and the Democrats of hypocrisy:

This news arrives just weeks after Musk told former Fox News host Tucker Carlson that he believes billionaires like Gates — along with Linkedin co-founder Reid Hoffman (a donor to Nikki Haley in the GOP primary) — fear that a Trump victory could expose more about their connections to the late Jeffrey Epstein, a notorious sex trafficker.

Given that controversy, it might be clear why Gates wanted to keep his donation secret.

But it also raises more questions that he might prefer Americans not ask.