Bill Gates’ big announcement, and Trump’s budget proposal

This week, we learned that billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates will commit most of his fortune to the Gates Foundation, which will close in 2045. Before this date, the foundation will double its philanthropy, spending $200 billion over the next two decades. The announcement comes as the organization, which has given away $100 billion since 2000, marks its 25th anniversary.

Meanwhile, at the end of last week, U.S. President Donald Trump’s budget proposed an unprecedented slashing of U.S. foreign assistance, making huge cuts to global health, humanitarian aid, and core economic and development work. We discuss the details of Trump’s budget proposal for fiscal year 2026, and its potential impact on the global development sector.

As the future of foreign aid remains in limbo, 400,000 boxes of food for malnourished children remain stuck in the United States.

To explore these stories and others, Senior Editor Rumbi Chakamba sits down with reporters Sara Jerving and Elissa Miolene for the latest episode of our weekly podcast series.
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