By Rajwa Quasim
Warren Buffett, the 95-year-old billionaire investor, has ended his long running donations to the Gates Foundation, bringing an end to a philanthropic partnership that lasted nearly two decades. The decision comes weeks after renewed scrutiny of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates’ ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Buffett announced on Tuesday that he would donate about $6 billion worth of Berkshire Hathaway stock as part of his annual mid- year charity giving. The donation consists of $12 million class B shares and will be distributed among four family foundations overseen by his children — Susie Buffett, Howard Buffett and Peter Buffett.
Notably, the announcement made by Buffett made no mention of the Gates Foundation, even though it had been a major recipient of his contribution since 2006.
READ: Veteran investor Warren Buffet gives away $6 billion in Berkshire Hathaway stock (June 30, 2025)
In a 2006 letter, Buffet said he was “irrevocably committing” to donate his shares throughout his lifetime and ever since then, the Gates Foundation has received over $47 billion in Berkshire Hathaway shares. He had also directed the foundation to spend his donations to immediately and permanently expand its activities. However, Buffet’s latest donations excluded Gates Foundation entirely.
The $6 billion donation is larger than Buffett’s contribution last year ($4.5 billion). Since 2006, Buffett’s family foundations received more than $17 billion, including approximately $2.8 billion in 2025.
Bill Gates drew fresh scrutiny earlier this year after the U.S. Department of Justice released additional files related to Jeffrey Epstein. While Gates has not been accused of any wrongdoing, renewed attention to his past interactions with the convicted sex offender drew public interest.
Buffet and Gates were known to be close friends for many years. However, in an interview with CNBC in March, Buffett revealed that they had not spoken since the release of the Epstein files. He further added, “I don’t want to be in a position where I know things… to be called as a witness.”
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Buffett also reaffirmed his long term commitment to philanthropy, saying all of his remaining shares would eventually be donated. “Of course, mortality is unpredictable, but my remaining shares will be donated to the four foundations one way or the other by December 31, 2034,” Buffett said in a statement. He further stated that after his death, his children would oversee a charitable trust containing about 99.5% of his remaining wealth.
Legal experts say it remains uncertain whether Buffett was legally required to continue supporting the Gates foundation under his 2006 pledge. According to Ray Madoff, a Boston College law professor who discussed Buffett’s giving in her book “The Second Estate: How the Tax Code Made an American Aristocracy,” said it was unclear if Buffett was legally bound to his pledge.
“A promise to make a gift in the future is not legally binding unless you get consideration,” she said. “The one thing that makes Buffett’s letter different is him saying, you can rely on my gift to expand operations. That could create a claim for the Gates Foundation, if it relied on Buffett’s promise to its detriment.”