Editor’s note: Post updated with comments from Melinda Gates
Ever the optimist, Bill Gates said he sees promise in the months and years ahead as he tweeted Wednesday at President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris that he is looking forward to working with the two of them on “some of our toughest challenges.”
Those challenges include the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change, two issues of utmost concern for the former Microsoft co-founder and billionaire philanthropist.
In four tweets, Gates said “this has been a troubling time in America,” but that working together and getting more people vaccinated will bring us closer to a time when “life will look much more like normal.”
I look forward to working with President @JoeBiden and Vice President @KamalaHarris to tackle some of our toughest challenges like COVID-19 and climate change. This has been a troubling time in America, but I see promise in the months and years ahead.
— Bill Gates (@BillGates) January 20, 2021
With Americans across the country working together, more people get a COVID-19 vaccine every day, bringing us closer to a time when life will look much more like normal. Until then, we can slow the spread of the virus and save lives by continuing to distance and wear masks.
— Bill Gates (@BillGates) January 20, 2021
Gates also praised Biden for rejoining the Paris climate agreement as one of his first acts in office. Under President Trump, the U.S. left the international accord designed to limit global warming.
After taking the oath of office this afternoon, I got right to work taking action to:
– Control the pandemic
– Provide economic relief
– Tackle climate change
– Advance racial equity— President Biden (@POTUS) January 20, 2021
The President’s commitment to reengage with the world gives me hope that the recovery will reach everyone, including communities of color in the U.S. and people in poor countries around the world.
— Bill Gates (@BillGates) January 20, 2021
And while COVID-19 will rightfully continue to dominate the agenda, the United States also has the opportunity to lead the world in avoiding a climate disaster. The President is taking a great first step by rejoining the Paris Climate Accord.
— Bill Gates (@BillGates) January 20, 2021
Gates walked a bit of a delicate line in dealing with Trump over the previous four years. He met with the then president-elect in New York back in December 2016 to discuss clean energy technologies.
“We had a good conversation about innovation — how it can help in health, education, impact of foreign aid and energy,” Gates said at the time. “A wide-ranging conversation about the power of innovation.”
Gates later elaborated on a bit more of what was discussed, saying that he stressed to Trump the importance of U.S. support for scientific research in areas including vaccines, education, and energy. Gates encouraged Trump to get behind an innovation agenda to spark breakthroughs in these areas, akin to a modern-day moonshot.
“I don’t know if that will happen, but I wanted to get that in front of him,” Gates said in a February 2017 interview with GeekWire.
By April of last year, as the pandemic was taking hold in the U.S. and frustration was mounting over the Trump response, Gates took aim at the administration’s decision to freeze U.S. funding for the World Health Organization. Trump had blamed WHO for mismanaging and covering up the spread of the disease.
Gates’ tweet went viral.
Halting funding for the World Health Organization during a world health crisis is as dangerous as it sounds. Their work is slowing the spread of COVID-19 and if that work is stopped no other organization can replace them. The world needs @WHO now more than ever.
— Bill Gates (@BillGates) April 15, 2020
Melinda Gates also shared optimism about the presidential transition, noting that “this is the America I believe in.”
A president who believes that words matter and has committed to using his voice to unite instead of divide. A vice president who has promised that although she may be the first woman of color to hold this office, she will not be the last. This is the America I believe in.
— Melinda Gates (@melindagates) January 20, 2021
I look forward to working with the new administration to end the pandemic, rebuild better, restore America’s global leadership, promote gender equality, dismantle systemic racism and ensure Americans with caregiving responsibilities have new security in our post-pandemic economy.
— Melinda Gates (@melindagates) January 20, 2021
