Bill Gates Backs Harris With $50 Million Donation, "Concerned" Over Trump

Billionaire and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has recently donated about $50 million to a nonprofit organization supporting Kamala Harris' US presidential run, the New York Times reported Tuesday. The donation to Future Forward, the main outside fund-raising group backing Harris, was meant to stay under wraps as Gates has not publicly endorsed the Democrat candidate, who is up against Republican Donald Trump in the November 5 US presidential election.

According to an NYT report, Gates, in private calls this year to friends and others, has also expressed "concern" about what a second Donald Trump presidency would look like.

His philanthropic organization, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is significantly concerned about potential cuts to family planning and global health programs if Trump is elected again, the report said.

Gates, however, has stressed that he could work with either candidate. 

In a statement in response to the NYT report, Gates stressed his bipartisanship, but also said that "this election is different."

"I support candidates who demonstrate a clear commitment to improving health care, reducing poverty and fighting climate change in the US and around the world," he told The New York Times. 

"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," he said.

In an interview with FRANCE 24 in July, when Kamala Harris was made the new Democratic nominee after President Joe Biden dropped his re-election bid, Gates had welcomed the prospect of "somebody who's younger, who can think about things like AI". 

While Harris turned 60 last week, her rival Trump is 78 and is the oldest nominee for president in United States history.

Gates' ex-wife and philanthropist Melinda French Gates had earlier publicly endorsed 60-year-old Harris.

According to Forbes, at least 81 billionaires have so far backed Harris in her fight against Trump. But one of the world's richest men Elon Musk is supporting Trump.