Gates’ former wife, Melinda French Gates, has also spoken candidly about her discomfort with his connection to Epstein. In a 2022 interview with CBS News, she described her own brief meeting with Epstein as deeply unsettling and expressed that she had voiced concerns about the association at the time. Melinda cited this issue as one of several factors in her decision to end their 27-year marriage, which concluded in 2021.
In earlier interviews, including one with CNN in 2021, Gates stated that his intentions were focused solely on securing funding for global health initiatives, reiterating that he regretted the meetings. “It was a huge mistake to spend time with him,” he told CNN’s Anderson Cooper.
In more recent comments to The Times of London, Gates described his divorce as “the biggest mistake” of his adult life. Since then, both he and Melinda have moved on personally—Gates is in a relationship with Paula Hurd, and Melinda is dating entrepreneur Jon Du Pre.
While Gates continues to support numerous global health and education efforts through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, questions remain for some observers about how past associations might have impacted public perception. Nonetheless, Gates maintains that his only goal in meeting Epstein was to further philanthropic work—a goal he says was ultimately not achieved.