Warren Buffett described Bill Gates' association with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein as "distasteful" but suggested that "everybody makes mistakes" and that "life goes on." The chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, who has been friends with Gates for approximately 35 years, made these remarks as he announced his decision to end annual donations to the Gates Foundation.
Buffett, speaking to CNBC, acknowledged that Gates had made errors in judgment regarding his connections to Epstein. He referenced Gates' sworn testimony to Congress earlier this year, where the Microsoft co-founder revealed that Epstein had learned of Gates' extramarital affairs and had attempted to leverage this information. Gates stated that his relationship with Epstein concluded by December 2014.
"While it's distasteful, while he made mistakes, I've made mistakes in hiring all the kinds of people or choosing friends and then finding out later that one way or another, they weren't what I thought they were," Buffett said. "So I found nothing in there that was beyond what I can picture myself doing. He ended it and I've had situations where I've made mistakes ... but life goes on. No one bats a thousand in the business of choosing people."
Buffett announced this year that he is donating $6 billion in Berkshire shares, excluding the Gates Foundation from this distribution, thereby ending a philanthropic partnership that has spanned two decades. He has directed these contributions to four family-linked foundations managed by his children. This pivot in giving strategy, Buffett explained, is an effort to prepare his children to manage his fortune, as they are "unfortunately growing older."
Since 2006, the Gates Foundation had been the primary recipient of Buffett's annual donations, receiving over $47 billion in Berkshire stock. Gates has not been accused of any crimes related to his association with Epstein, and he has previously expressed regret for these past ties.
Buffett also mentioned that he and Gates remain in contact, having recently met for three hours in Omaha. Gates has indicated a desire for further meetings.