Reports indicate Elon Musk is reconsidering his commitment to the Giving Pledge following advice from Peter Thiel. Thiel warned Musk that his fortune could end up funding causes selected by Bill Gates. The suggestion came during a private lecture in San Francisco last month.
Peter Thiel, a longtime associate of Elon Musk, advised the Tesla CEO to withdraw from the Giving Pledge during a private lecture series in San Francisco in September. Thiel cautioned that Musk's wealth might otherwise flow to "left-wing nonprofits chosen by Bill Gates," according to a Reuters report. Musk reportedly took the advice seriously, prompting speculation that he may rethink his 2012 pledge to donate the majority of his fortune to charity.
Thiel bolstered his argument with calculations from actuarial tables, estimating that if Musk died within a year, the pledge would direct about $1.4 billion to Gates. In response, Musk allegedly remarked, "What am I supposed to do, give it to my children? You know, it would be much worse to give it to Bill Gates."
The Giving Pledge, launched in 2010 by Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, encourages billionaires to commit the bulk of their wealth to philanthropic causes during their lifetimes or via wills. Gates' foundation emphasizes global health, education, and gender equality—priorities Thiel has labeled as "left-leaning."
Musk and Thiel share a history dating back to co-founding PayPal in 2000. Thiel later started Palantir and became Facebook's first outside investor, maintaining close ties with Musk, who leads Tesla and SpaceX. Meanwhile, Musk continues philanthropy through the Musk Foundation, supporting education, clean energy, and scientific research.
Tensions between Musk and Gates have escalated recently. Gates shorted Tesla stock, which Musk viewed personally given the company's sustainability focus. Gates has questioned Tesla projects like the Semi due to battery limitations. More recently, Gates criticized Musk's DOGE initiative cuts as potentially costing 2 million lives, prompting Musk to call Gates "a huge liar" on X.
Spokespeople for Thiel, Musk, and Gates have declined to comment on the reports.