Elon Musk reportedly rethinks billion-dollar charity pledge after Peter Thiel’s warning

In a significant development, Elon Musk may be reconsidering his long-standing pledge to give away most of his fortune, following advice from fellow billionaire and PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel.

According to Reuters, Thiel warned Musk that his wealth could end up in “left-wing nonprofits chosen by Bill Gates” through the Giving Pledge initiative.

Thiel revealed the exchange during a private lecture in San Francisco last month, saying he even ran actuarial calculations to make his point.

“If Elon died within a year, his pledge would effectively direct $1.4 billion to Bill Gates,” Thiel reportedly said.

Musk, who signed the Giving Pledge in 2012, is said to have taken the warning seriously.

In response, Musk reportedly quipped, “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, co-founded by Gates and Warren Buffett in 2010, asks the world’s wealthiest individuals to donate most of their wealth to philanthropic causes during their lifetimes or in their wills.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation focuses on global health, education, and gender equality, areas Thiel has described as “left-leaning.”

If Musk does withdraw, it would mark a dramatic reversal from his earlier stance and highlight growing ideological divisions among tech billionaires over philanthropy and influence.