‘I was frankly impressed’: Bill Gates dines with Trump, expects Elon Musk but he’s a no-show

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates recently met with former U.S. President Donald Trump at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. The private dinner took place shortly after Christmas, with Gates aiming to discuss pressing global health issues, including HIV and polio prevention. He also encouraged Trump to continue supporting US funding for health research, much of which aligns with the efforts of the Gates Foundation.

Interestingly, Gates had anticipated the possibility of meeting Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk at the event. Musk has been a regular presence at Mar-a-Lago since donating $250 million to Trump’s campaign. However, Gates confirmed it was just him, Trump, and a few staff members at the dinner.

“When I went down to see Trump, I wondered if Elon would be there, but it ended up being just the two of us,” Gates told The Independent.

During their conversation, Gates was reportedly impressed by Trump’s interest in global health issues. They discussed ambitious ideas, including the possibility of developing a cure for HIV. Gates also highlighted Trump’s previous focus on accelerating vaccine development during the COVID-19 pandemic, which could inspire similar innovation for other diseases.

“I felt like he was energized and looking forward to helping to drive innovation, I was frankly impressed with how well he showed a lot of interest in the issues I brought up," Gates told the Wall Street Journal.

“He showed genuine interest in the issues I brought up,” Gates said, emphasising the importance of ongoing efforts to eradicate polio worldwide.

Musk and Trump

While Musk was absent from this meeting, his proximity to Trump remains a topic of discussion. Musk has been closely aligned with Trump, contributing significant amounts to his campaign and appearing at multiple events tied to Trump’s return to politics. Musk is even expected to speak at Trump’s pre-inauguration rally and attend the inauguration itself.

Tense backstory between Gates and Musk

Gates and Musk have clashed publicly over the years on issues ranging from climate change to business ethics. Their feud includes sharp exchanges on social media and disagreements over Tesla’s role in sustainability. Despite their shared influence in technology and philanthropy, it’s clear they don’t see eye to eye—a dynamic that might have made Gates’ expectation of Musk at the dinner even more intriguing.

Gates isn’t the only tech billionaire making overtures to Trump. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Meta (formerly Facebook) CEO Mark Zuckerberg have also sought to build connections. Bezos, for instance, reportedly intervened to prevent The Washington Post from endorsing Trump’s rival, Kamala Harris. Meanwhile, Zuckerberg’s Meta has shifted its content moderation policies and donated $1 million to Trump’s inaugural fund.