In a wide-ranging interview with NPR, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates expressed concern about the new administration's recent steps to pull back from approach to public health but says he's optimistic about the future and wants to find common ground with the White House.

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You can’t become a billionaire without taking advantage of people and bending rules to avoid paying tax. Good people find that difficult to do. I’d be super optimistic if I had his money too.
That means he’s going to profit ridiculously from all of this.
In other words, yes, he's been to Epstein's island and Trump has the proof.
Then perhaps he should not have endorsed a convicted felon con artist. Give me a break. Screw Gates!
Eat the rich 💀
For f***’s sakes, Bill. Common ground? Has he even been paying attention? Look, Bill has done some amazing things in the past, but bro needs to stop pretending that what’s going on is something that can be rationalized or managed into a soft landing. All the old icons are disappointing us now. 😞
Huh. A billionaire optimistic about the future under fascism. How unexpected.
He is going to be just fine, here or in New Zealand, where he has an ark in case shit hits the fan.
Good luck with that money man.
"Expressed concern" is billionaire for "I'm terrified but must give lip-service to this authoritarian dictator and his puppet Donald Trump because I depend on them to continue to billionaire."
I don’t think you got the translation there
“Expressed concern” means I’m packing my bags and wondering if the FAA has been screwed for sea travel or if I only have to be cautious about booking an American flight
Oh, I'm sure he's got whatever private- island- beyond- the- reach- of- the- U.S.- government- he- owns all set up and ready for himself and his loved ones ...
BINGO.
Sorry Gates F-OFF
There is no common ground with the Nazi hateful - there is only HOPE in the Resistence
That’s code for I ain’t doin shit about it, thanks for nothing bill
@billgatess.bsky.social If the common ground you are looking for is white christian nationalist, then you're on the right path...
Ah, the old, “let’s find common ground” routine. SAD!
🤣🤣🤣 scary transition period

The individual consequences still matter to each person harmed. To them it is their life, not a transition. Beating hearts, some people have them.
When the last tree has been cut down, the last fish caught, the last river poisoned, only then will we realize that one cannot eat money.
Anyone looking for "common ground" with the corrupt miscreants running the White House is probably not in touch with reality. For any decent person a Venn diagram would show there is no overlap with the White House.
He is impressive!
If you're rich, it won't be too bad. However...
Yeah, kind of hard to get too worked up about stuff when you have more money than 95% of people on earth, so you can just pay your way out of any problem that comes for you.
What?
Fuck that guy he wants a tax cut.
Billionaires gonna billionaire even as the republic burns
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🎯
I’ve been saying this to all these nice, older liberals I’m meeting casually at these protests… most agree though, I gotta say.

“Fight the billionaires NEEDS to be our slogan” if we want to be taken seriously as a bulwark against the fash.
I'm officially an older liberal. I was at a protest recently, and there were protesters twenty years older than me.
No way!!!
And what fucking common ground would that be? Obliterating the Palestinians? Racism? Eugenics? wtaf?
"My dragon's hoard of gold is more important than people."
Let's find common ground with the champions for disease, death and human cruelty, sure that will work.
If I was an oligarch, I'd totally be happy oligarchs were in power too.
Shut up Bill Gates
That article was not worth reading.
Pony up or shut up Bill.
“Common ground” with these lunatics involves sane-washing, surrendering logic, and compromising your own values. So good luck with that, Bill.
Oh so he's completely worthless and will do nothing. Got it.
All billionaires are a part of the problem.
this man is delusional if he thinks he will be able to continue any of the good works hes been doing in the usa after trump enacts all the hate restrictions hes getting in place
better focus on other countries that have a huge void now that the felon has left them to rot
@npr.org - this is the propaganda you publish during an administrative coup? We want to hear more about grassroots organizing, ways to have your voice be heard, and the impacts of the changes on the working class and vulnerable populations.
I don't think that it's NPR's goal to be an advocate for the right or left wings of the political spectrum. FOX, MSNBC and many others have that covered.
It's not a left or right problem, it's the people's government, services, and treasury despoiled by unaccountable oligarchs. It would be nice if public radio took the side of the public.
Or at least pointed out the growing number of Constitutional violations occurring. Maybe start there?
Screw Bill.

Jesus can we stop asking billionaires what they think? Or letting them have any control?
He is one of the good techs. There aren’t many.
Hey NPR. We actually don't care what billionaires think. If you want to interview me, I'm happy to comment on a wide range of ideas. And guess what? I live in the real f***ing world. I can probably give you insights those losers don't know (or care) about. Just a thought.
The oligarchs are all going to stick together but we'll see how well that turns out for them in the end.
Of course he does
maybe he shouldn't have donated to his campaign?
To "pull back from approach to public health"!?
Fucking billionaires always willing to give other billionaire another chance, despite the damage done to us little folk. Bill Gates has lost all moral credibility.
Trump's about to defund NPR while NPR continues to use language of normalcy for Trump🤔
Concerned, he should be friggin scared. Trump is a nutcase and only worried about Trump.
In other words he's going to kiss their ass
Sorry Bill, you're not rich enough to be in the club any more. Especially when you made the cardinal sin of giving away some of your wealth for the benefit of public health. You might as well be Che Guevara in the eyes of the new administration.
🫢
common grounds with a mindless predator. ok...
hey, we don't want to hear from billionaires. thanks!
You cannot find common ground with fascists unless you too are a fascist.
lol good luck
Yuck 🤢
Need less "concern" and more f*cking action. Also, the same Bill Gates? smh
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5092973-bill-gates-donald-trump-meeting/
Speak! Out! More! Strongly! Bill!
Billionaire says we'll be fine 🙄
Bill Gates has been at Mara Largo multiple times. He is complacent in wanting to be a part of the new order. He wants to be part of the privatization of our public institutes because like all other billionaires he is evil and vies for control. Always has been.
billionaire decoder ring:

I've got 70 gallons of my own urine collected in mason jars and 36 lbs. of toenail clippings. If the world burns, I should be OK.
Lmao. There is no common ground with this White House when it comes to Public Health because they don't believe in it
Saw that interview on the View. He’s truly unique & so intelligent. Great show thanks ladies 💞
There isn’t common ground with lunatics.
Well, of course he is.

It's not like he's going to actually, you know, suffer.
That's a fine line you're walking there to not piss off trump.
Bill Gates can't say anything negative about Trump or else Trump will release the Epstein files.
He can go be “concerned” with Susan Collins
Displaying the same good judgement he did with Jeffrey Epstein…
You didn't need to interview a sympathetic billionaire. C'mon.
Hey I have money .... you have money! Common ground!
I'm sure he fucking does, he's golden whatever happens.
Who gives a fuck about Bill Gates. He’s rich, of course the dipshit is optimistic.
If I had billions of dollars, I’d be optimistic too.
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Yup. I wonder what makes NPR think any of us care about this.
I want him to eat a whole block of feces.
Gates indicated he had agreement from Musk to support some of Gates charity causes. If that's true, it still doesn't negate the harm he's caused thus far. But with all Musk's wealth he should do more.
Ah yes, the old common ground with Nazis.
What the hell does this men knows about anything? Why do I have to read about a billionaire deciding about my future? No one voted for him, nowadays I'm even leaving the products of his horrible company when I can.
Let he be grandpa simpson yelling at the clouds, we don't need his opinions.
Gates has billions of dollars that give him sole room to be hopeful,

We don’t give a damn about how billionaires feel about anything.

Read the room, ffs.
What's common ground with white nationalists?
you won't find common ground, bill... unless you're also a fascist...

I can’t
What common ground might that be?
That air is good? No wait can’t even agree there bc Dems want clean air and Ra just want $$$
Coward
What exactly is his side? Does he want in on the oligarchy? Or is he just sitting back eating popcorn and watching the chaos unfold?
The new Susan Collins. He won’t make a real statement but will mutter “tsk tsk” once in awhile.
Fk Gates! He wants to privatize everything
The rich probably wanted to find common ground with the nazis too
I bet it’s easy to be optimistic when you have the money and resources to easily pick up and move when shit hits the fan.
Ah of course he’s optimistic. Billionaires are so far up their own asses.
Read the terrified room @npr.org no one cares what bill gates thinks other than Bill gates.
Hahahhahahahah billionaires.
shut up, billionaire nerd
Doesn’t he own all the farmland? Of course he is optimistic.
Another one who doesn’t want to pay his fair share in taxes🙄
You just can't trust billionaires. They have the most to gain from this. Less regulations, less employee protections, endless opportunities to enrich themselves and their delusional fantasies. Bill has always been so mild mannered, but I don't fancy living in the state of Microsoft.
If Bill Gates actually cared about leaving the world a better place he'd be speaking out harder against these fascists.

Fuck Bill Gates. Fuck this sanewashing of literal Nazis.

Celebrities and people of note should be speaking out now. We need that momentum.
If he cared about the world he wouldn’t still be a billionaire.
💯

No billionaire cares about anything other than themselves.

Billionaires shouldn't exist. They should be taxed out of existence.

You know what adventurers do to dragons sitting on piles of gold?

Fucking slay.
Just as an FYI during the first administration some local people looked to him to support programs that were being cut and the foundation said it wasn't their responsibility to make up the difference.
No, but that callous response really said a lot about their care and prioritization.
The foundation has always been a vehicle to improve his public image, but I think we're on the same page with this.

Bill Gates was really shitty during his ascent to billionaire status.
Why would he want to align himself with a bunch of idiots?
Looking forward to digging into this interview because my initial instincts was to be completely floored reading headlines Gates was positive about anything DJT has to say about health.
The mega-wealthy are so out of touch as to be other-worldly. Have no clue how the average person is affected by The Tangerine Nightmare.
Not out of touch. Don't care
He’s literally been the right’s boogeyman for years and he’s still paying lip service. what a coward.
Bill can GFH
It’s easy to be optimistic Bill when you have zero need for a government cos you’re a billionaire.
Not scary for him. He’s got plenty.
So Gates really is a dumbass
Of course, he can jump into his private jet and go elsewhere if need be.
“Transition state???” Fuck that shit.
I didn’t know Gates never met Donald Trump
billionaire boot lickers are gonna lick boots. go figure.
Good news! You've already got common ground with the White House because you're a rich white guy that will suffer no repercussions from the chaos they're unleashing. That and you both flew on Epstein's plane.
Another billionaire bro wanting us to believe him.
Billionaire concerned but optimistic. That tracks.
The name Chamberlain comes to mind. 🤔
This is why we love Melinda Gates and hate you, Bill.
Then why doesn’t he do something about it? Aren’t they best buds?
Stop centering the viewpoints of rich white men.
cOmMoN gRoUndddd holy fuck the rich are deplorable
Less than useless
Can’t relate
Don't do it, Bill. Or it's Linux for me.
You can't find common ground with people who have no principles.
There isn’t common ground with a narcissistic sociopath… but yeah, you should be concerned Bill.
Hmmm, wants to find common ground with Mephistopheles, how noble of him.
Sure. I mean, what does Bill have to worry about? Nothing.
The common ground is he’s also a wealthy soulless ghoul
if that’s what his optimism looks like, what about his constipation?
I will be interested to see what "common ground" is with people who want to wipe certain segments of the population from existence
He has over 100 bill
Yeah his outlook is good
Easy to be optimistic when you aren't cash strapped, fearing for your job, fearing for the loss of democracy as we know it.
More stenography. No hard questions.

We're counting on you to do better NPR.
There is no common ground.
“concern” People have been tossing that word around lately as if it’s a grenade. We’ve long passed the stage of mere “concern.”
Oh please. I'm surprised he wasn't right next to Bezos at the Inauguration 🙄
Let me fix this title:

“Man with unlimited resources chooses selfish, magical thinking instead of empathy and action during coup.”
man who gives a shit he’s evil
@npr.org
NPR = Normalizing Problematic Rhetoric
Well at least we know who he supports, loat all respect.
Eat all billionaires.
Nobody cares.
I wish er had more billionaires like him and Warren Buffet instead of like Musk, Zuckerberg, Bezos,Trump etc.
Wishing you luck.
He’s a fucking idiot. Intellectual idiot.
Coward.
Who's gonna tell him you can't find common ground with nazis and fascists?
he knows what’s happening but only care about saving face with trump.
Well, Bill, I guess being an oligarch helps prevent the fear and anxiety the rest of us feel. Glad that YOU'RE optimistic. @billgatess.bsky.social
As I said, we’re on our own, for god’s sake
How shocking. Another billionaire bending the knee to kiss the ring. It’s time to burn this place down and rip the powerful from their thrones. Why are we quietly watching and just whining online?! It’s time to fight fire with fire…physically.
Another billionaire, living in an alternate reality.
What an idiot. Are there no intelligent billionaires?
Birds of a feather
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There is no common ground. Trump and his cronies are trying to destroy everything and further enrich themselves.
Billionaires can afford to be optimistic.
These sissies. So sick of them not speaking up or for the needy.
Of course , why should a billionaire be concerned about anything Trump does
Thought you were smarter than this. Guess not.
How much did he donate to Trump's "inaugural fund"?
He wants to find 'common ground' with the WH? Umm.. they are not following the law. People have died in a plane crash due to Musk pressuring people to step down in the FAA. 1500 criminals have been pardoned from January 6. NO, not common ground, removal from office, and possible arrests needed.
I'm hoping we really start to see the wealthy fearing for their lives, because they don't feel safe. Not the food they eat. Not the stranger passing them on the street. #EattheRich
Another puff piece for Bill Gates.
#EatthefuckingRich
What, is he mad that RFKJ got the job instead of his billionaire ass? I still haven’t seen his public health credentials.
What public health projects that Gates has been involved in do you have a problem with? Be specific.
That’s my point though. He sure had a lot to say about Covid for a ceo software engineer. I was like “who asked him?”
The guy has spent years of his life being around public health experts, and listening to what they have to say. He’s got a platform so he uses it. When celebrities don’t use their platform, people bitch at them. When they do, people bitch at them. I’m guessing you’re some kind of anti-VAX weirdo.
You’d guess wrong. I’ve no idea about Gates involvement with that sort of thing, which is why I asked. I listened to the people in charge My confusion is my fault. My brain still tells me he’s a computer guy. Never did I see a “Gates did this for health” headline. Feel free to enlighten me.
So Gates took the blue pill instead of the red one?
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Shocking 🙄
tldr

respectfully, did y’all ask him about the problems that come along with his having been allowed to accumulate and horde such a truly obscene amount of money?

genuinely curious.

#NotToBeRude
Freaks still think he was hanged months ago for child trafficking.
Whatever. Go kiss the ass. I didn’t want to hear from any of them. Not even Mark Cuban
Fuck you, Bill Gates

You’re in bed with them

You’re gonna go down with them when they fail just like Hitler did
Common ground...fucking moron
No common ground with nazi bill!!!
Oh right. The rich stick together, yep common ground alright.
"Quit making us greedy scumbags look bad"
Wow, I’m really surprised by all the uninformed backlash in the comments. Did anyone read the article? Do commenters know what the Gates Foundation does? I definitely would not lump Mr Gates in with the Trumps and Musk crowd.
Wired also has a big story on him. Is someone feeling left out of all the “billionaires control the world” coverage?
We don't need the opinion of another Billionaire. They're the problem.
@npr.org
F*ck Bill and his billions. He’d feel differently if he was headed toward retirement and terrified about who has control of that money.
Another white billionaire chimes in.
More free propaganda for this piece of shit, NPR?
😂😂😂
I was somewhat disappointed listening today. Gate’s suggesting a “slimmed down USAID” could be good made me think it was pre-recorded a week ago. USAID is no more and AIDS support is full stop. The GOP hates blacks and African babies. He is being hopeful I guess.
Fuck him
He’s one of them
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why the fuck is npr even amplifying this pedo?
Three major differences:
1. Not a rocket billionaire
2. In favor of higher taxes for billionaires (over 60%)
3. Second largest donor for WHO (after Germany)

Those are really different from Elons, Trumps and Jeffs.
Sure
Now list all the shitty things he did to fuck over his employees and family and, well, the world
He’s one of them
Just not as newsworthy atm
He is pretty shitty. Not forgetting the anti-trust stuff specifically. Also his comment here is very tone deaf - he’s a billionaire so he can manage.

But the major difference between him and Buffet to the Elons is that the first two are in favor of much higher taxes.
unlike Musk and Bezos......Gates actually uses his wealth to help others.....

.....specifically in the countries that USAID just abandoned

so he's being all diplomatic to try and get back some of this aid

but I doubt he'll suceed
This ⬆️
No billionaire got their money through ethical means. Bill Gates is part of the problem.
seriously.....?

you never heard of Microsoft.....?

such statements debase the whole discussion
I have and why do you think they have such a monopoly on the personal computer market? That's not through ethical means.
OF COURSE HE’S OPTIMISTIC! HE’S ONE OF THEM!!!
He's delusional.
Dear Bill Gates,

Fuck you. You and your billionaire friends are the only ones who are optimistic right now. The rest of us are getting angry.
Common ground ? Seriously.
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And yet you supported him and gave him lots of money you dumb F
Out of touch, out of mind.
NPR doing billionaire propaganda. Of course one of the oligarchs is optimistic - he’s creating *their* future at the expense of the rest of us.
No, Bill, not THIS White House. Don't destroy your reputation for philanthropy. You are rich enough and connected enough to proceed without them.
Obeying. No surprise.
He has common ground with the WH. Jeffrey Epstein!
Why don't people like this one?
Sure, he's one of those "big picture" boomers.

The rest of us are alarmed by how damn fast Project 2025 is moving.

Not that we didn't warn people!
Well thank god a billionaire is optimistic about the future. That makes me feel so much better.
Of course he’s optimistic. Why do you think that is the case?
Common ground?! Submit is what they want.
Really? What is he drinking?