Bill Gates’s $200 billion gamble

In a wide-ranging interview, Gates explains his decision to wind down his foundation.

View in browser|nytimes.com May 17, 2025 On the cover this week: David Wallace-Wells talks to Bill Gates about his plan to accelerate the timeline for giving away his personal fortune and shut down The Gates Foundation several decades before originally intended. Photograph by Katy Grannan for The New York Times FEATURES Dave Thompson/WPA Pool, via Getty Images What to Know About Bill Gates's Plans to End His Foundation The billionaire philanthropist says he will accelerate his giving — but then dissolve his organization in 20 years, decades earlier than he originally planned. By David Wallace-Wells Ahmed Gaber for The New York Times They Invented the Game. Will They Be Allowed to Play It in the Olympics? Lacrosse returns to the Olympics in 2028, on American soil. Why won't the I.O.C. let Indigenous North American teams compete? By S. L. Price The Interview Rutger Bregman Wants to Save Elites From Their Wasted Lives The historian is on a mission to get the best and brightest out of their lucrative jobs and into morally ambitious work. 42 MIN LISTEN Mike Stobe/Getty Images Essay 'Gimme': A Word That Explains the President's Worldview The term helps explain why he sees little difference between accepting a putt and accepting a plane. By Matthew Purdy MORE IN THE MAGAZINE Illustration by María Jesús Contreras Letter of Recommendation How the Rubik's Cube Taught Me to Be a Better Parent Having children means being a puzzle-solver in ways big and small. By Samantha Mann Photo illustration by Tyler Comrie Screenland Chinese Manufacturers Have Been Turning to TikTok Diplomacy The flow of video between China and the United States raises strange possibilities — whether national image-making or hawking consumer goods. By T.M. Brown Illustration by Tomi Um The Ethicist Facebook Enables Extremist Views. Should I Quit and Risk Losing My Friends There? The magazine's Ethicist columnist on what to do when you're conflicted about using an service you may rely on. By Kwame Anthony Appiah Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food stylist: Maggie Ruggiero. Prop stylist: Sophia Eleni Pappas. I Can't Stop Thinking About These Dinner Rolls You won't mind filling up on these airy, steamy buns for a single second. By Eric Kim Sign up for the Ethicist newsletter, for Times subscribers only. Advice on life's trickiest situations and moral dilemmas from the philosopher Kwame Anthony Appiah. Get it in your inbox Stay in touch: Like this email? Forward it to a friend and help us grow. Loved a story? Hated it? Write us a letter at magazine@nytimes.com. Did a friend forward this to you? Sign up here to get the magazine newsletter. For narrated versions of our articles and more audio journalism, download New York Times Audio, a new iOS app available for news subscribers. If you received this newsletter from someone else, subscribe here. Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for The New York Times Magazine from The New York Times. To stop receiving The New York Times Magazine, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018