Largest U.S. Farmland Owner Bill Gates Tries to Clean Up Reputation by Touting Plan to Give Away Lots of Money Which Could Lower his Place on Wealthiest List

Microsoft founder Bill Gates bragged on Twitter about his planned $20 billion dollar endowment to the Gates Foundation this month.

In a tweet thread sharing the purpose of the Gates Foundation, as well as highlighting the funding coming from himself and Warren Buffett, Gates shares that he plans to give the foundation “virtually all of my wealth.”

Gates starts the thread with a review of the past two years of living under a global pandemic.

“Several huge global setbacks over the past few years have left many people discouraged and wondering whether the world is destined to get worse.”

“The pandemic is one of the biggest setbacks in history. The war on Ukraine is a gigantic tragedy for the entire world. The damage from climate change is already worse than most models predicted. The U.S. has taken a huge step backwards for gender equality and women’s health.”

Several huge global setbacks over the past few years have left many people discouraged and wondering whether the world is destined to get worse.

— Bill Gates (@BillGates) July 13, 2022

Gates then shares he is “still optimistic” and believes it is possible “mitigate the damage and get back to the progress the world was making.”

“But I’m still optimistic. These setbacks are happening in the context of two decades’ worth of historic progress and I believe it is possible to mitigate the damage and get back to the progress the world was making.”

But I’m still optimistic. These setbacks are happening in the context of two decades’ worth of historic progress and I believe it is possible to mitigate the damage and get back to the progress the world was making.

— Bill Gates (@BillGates) July 13, 2022

Gates jumps to the purpose of the foundation he and his ex-wife started in 2000.

“Melinda and I started the @gatesfoundation in 2000 because we believed that every person should have the chance to live a healthy and productive life. That vision remains the same, but the great crises of our time require all of us to do more.”

He then reveals that the Gates foundation has been increasing its spending by $6 billion a year and that they plan to increase this to $9 billion a year by 2026. He announces he will be endowing the foundation with $20 billion this month.

“With the support and guidance of our board, we plan to increase our spending from nearly $6 billion per year today to $9 billion per year by 2026. To help make this spending increase possible, I am transferring $20 billion to the foundation’s endowment this month.”

With the support and guidance of our board, we plan to increase our spending from nearly $6 billion per year today to $9 billion per year by 2026. To help make this spending increase possible, I am transferring $20 billion to the foundation’s endowment this month. pic.twitter.com/ybLMAKPx7I

— Bill Gates (@BillGates) July 13, 2022

He expresses how proud he is of his foundation and the work they have done.

“I am very proud of the foundation’s role in helping solve big problems like preventing pandemics, reducing childhood deaths, eradicating diseases, improving food security and climate adaptation, achieving gender equality, and improving educational outcomes.”

He then shares the credit with the foundations’ other large funder, Warren Buffett.

“Although the foundation bears our names, basically half our resources have come from Warren Buffett. His incredible generosity is a huge reason why the foundation has been able to be so ambitious. I can never adequately express how much I appreciate his friendship and guidance.”

Although the foundation bears our names, basically half our resources have come from Warren Buffett. His incredible generosity is a huge reason why the foundation has been able to be so ambitious. I can never adequately express how much I appreciate his friendship and guidance. pic.twitter.com/at7MvJKxQv

— Bill Gates (@BillGates) July 13, 2022

Gates ends his tweet thread by announcing his plan to give “virtually all of my wealth to the foundation.” as it is his “obligation”.

“As I look to the future, I plan to give virtually all of my wealth to the foundation. I will move down and eventually off of the list of the world’s richest people.”

“I have an obligation to return my resources to society in ways that have the greatest impact for reducing suffering and improving lives. And I hope others in positions of great wealth and privilege will step up in this moment too.”

I have an obligation to return my resources to society in ways that have the greatest impact for reducing suffering and improving lives. And I hope others in positions of great wealth and privilege will step up in this moment too.

— Bill Gates (@BillGates) July 13, 2022

Buffett, as well as Gates, have both disclosed they will not be handing down their wealth to their children, instead they both plan to donate their wealth. Currently, Gates’s net worth is listed at $114 billion according to Bloomberg’s Billionairs Index.

His humble brag seems cold and disconnected to many currently struggling with rampant inflation in the United States.