The relationship between Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, one of the most powerful alliances in the business and philanthropic world, is going through its most delicate moment. Buffett has assured that he has not spoken with the co-founder of Microsoft since the publication of documents from the United States Department of Justice about Gates' relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, the financier convicted of sexual offenses. And not only that: the investor has also left it up in the air whether he will maintain his multimillion-dollar donations to the Gates Foundation.
The message is devastating because it does not come from an external critic, but from one of Gates' great historical allies. Buffett, 95, has donated more than $47 billion in Berkshire Hathaway stock to the foundation since 2006, according to Reuters. His public distancing opens a rift of enormous reputational impact for Gates and for one of the most influential philanthropic institutions on the planet.
Buffett not speaking with Bill Gates since Epstein files
Buffett told in an interview with CNBC that he has not maintained contact with Gates since new documents related to Epstein became known. According to Reuters, those Justice Department materials showed that Gates and Epstein met on several occasions to discuss philanthropy after Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 in Florida to charges linked to prostitution.
The investor did not limit himself to confirming the distancing. He also explained why he avoids talking to Gates: he does not want to find himself in a position where he might know things that would later oblige him to testify. In other words, Buffett is marking a legal and reputational boundary. He does not want to get caught up in the investigation or become a secondary piece in a case that continues to generate political and media consequences in the United States.
The phrase that summarizes the coup is simple: Buffett does not want to talk too much "until things become clear." In the language of big business, that is equivalent to a cold, calculated, and very visible withdrawal.
The donation to the Gates Foundation remains up in the air
The second impact is economic. Buffett has not confirmed if he will continue making his annual donations to the Gates Foundation. According to Reuters, when asked about the continuity of those contributions, he replied that he will wait to see how events unfold and added that he is “learning things” he didn’t know.
The doubt weighs because Buffett's donations have been for almost two decades one of the great financial and symbolic pillars of the foundation. In 2025, his contribution to the Gates Foundation exceeded 4.5 billion dollars, according to Reuters.
Buffett has not disavowed his previous contributions. He has also avoided accusing the foundation of misuse of money. But the mere fact of not committing new donations already represents an earthquake: what previously seemed automatic is now conditioned on the evolution of the Epstein case.
What Bill Gates Says About Epstein
Bill Gates has acknowledged that meeting with Epstein was a serious error in judgment. A spokesperson for the businessman told Reuters that Gates is committed to answering all questions and demonstrating that he was never part of any of Epstein's criminal activities.
That nuance is key. Gates has not been accused of any crime for his relationship with Epstein. He has also maintained that his encounters with him were linked to possible support for global philanthropic projects. A spokesperson told People that Gates never witnessed or participated in Epstein's illegal conduct and that he is willing to answer questions from Congress.
But the problem for Gates is not only legal. It is reputational. The repeated appearance of his name in documents, emails, calendars, and accounts linked to Epstein has placed his figure under public pressure that affects his image, his foundation, and his network of support.
Congress wants to question Gates
The case also has a political dimension. The House Oversight Committee requested a transcribed interview with Bill Gates as part of its investigation into Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. In the letter sent on March 3, the committee maintains that Gates may have useful information for the investigation and initially set the appearance for May 19, 2026 in Washington.
The committee explained that it is reviewing the federal management of the investigation into Epstein and Maxwell, the circumstances of Epstein's death, the operation of sex trafficking networks, and the ways in which Epstein and Maxwell may have sought to gain influence to protect their illegal activities.
Several US media outlets have reported after Gates' interview before the committee would be scheduled for June. CBS News, for example, noted that Gates would appear on June 10, according to a source familiar with the plans.