{"id":259943,"date":"2026-08-27T16:41:15","date_gmt":"2026-08-27T16:41:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/08\/27\/bill-gates-admits-epstein-friendship-was-foolish\/"},"modified":"2026-08-27T16:41:15","modified_gmt":"2026-08-27T16:41:15","slug":"bill-gates-admits-epstein-friendship-was-foolish","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/08\/27\/bill-gates-admits-epstein-friendship-was-foolish\/","title":{"rendered":"Bill Gates Admits Epstein Friendship Was &#8216;Foolish&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 3<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s safe to say that Bill Gates has some <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehollywoodgossip.com\/2026\/02\/bill-gates-admits-to-regrets-over-esptein-friendship-denies-hiding-std-from-wife\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">regrets<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>While he spent much of a recent interview ostensibly warning about AI, another major topic cropped up.<\/p>\n<p>Gates\u2019 name appears in the Epstein Files. He has confirmed some <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehollywoodgossip.com\/2026\/06\/bill-gates-was-accused-of-more-than-20-affairs-during-marriage-to-melinda-report\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">accusations<\/a> while denying others.<\/p>\n<p>The Microsoft founder admits that it was \u201cfoolish\u201d of him to ever interact with the dead, disgraced pedophile.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><noscript><\/noscript><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/08\/0827_billgates_header-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"Bill Gates on Anderson Cooper 360 in August 2026.\" class=\"wp-image-562003 lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/08\/0827_billgates_header-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/08\/0827_billgates_header-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/08\/0827_billgates_header-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/08\/0827_billgates_header-728x410.jpg 728w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/08\/0827_billgates_header-960x540.jpg 960w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/08\/0827_billgates_header-1080x608.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/08\/0827_billgates_header-1200x675.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/08\/0827_billgates_header.jpg 1418w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 20px), 720px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/08\/0827_billgates_header.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">In his first television appearance since testifying before the House, Bill Gates discusses the perils of AI alongside more personal topics.<span class=\"image-caption-credit\"> (Image Credit: CNN)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-it-just-shows-how-foolish-i-was\">\u2018It just shows how foolish I was\u2019<\/h2>\n<p>Bill Gates sat down for a remote interview with <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=pJ-TBE7HaiA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Anderson Cooper 360<\/a><\/em> for his first television appearance since the House Oversight Committee <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehollywoodgossip.com\/2026\/06\/bill-gates-says-jeffrey-epstein-tried-to-blackmail-him-over-his-affairs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">grilled him over his Epstein association.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>When Cooper brought up the \u201cgraphic, unverified\u201d allegations that Epstein had written \u2014 but not sent \u2014 about Gates back in 2013, the billionaire philanthropist responded.<\/p>\n<p>He said that, contrary to prior reports, he does not believe that the dead predator ever actually attempted to blackmail him.<\/p>\n<p>Gates pointed out that the \u201cseveral hundred pages\u201d of testimony is \u201ccomplicated.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He admitted: \u201cI didn\u2019t know that he was considering blackmailing me.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"thg-ytf\" data-ytid=\"pJ-TBE7HaiA\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/pJ-TBE7HaiA\/hqdefault.jpg\" alt=\"Bill Gates stakes reputation: AI is not like past tech\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"480\" height=\"360\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/pJ-TBE7HaiA\/hqdefault.jpg\" alt=\"Bill Gates stakes reputation: AI is not like past tech\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"480\" height=\"360\" class=\"lazyload\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"\/><button type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Play video: Bill Gates stakes reputation: AI is not like past tech\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 68 48\" width=\"68\" height=\"48\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M66.5 7.7a8 8 0 0 0-5.6-5.7C56 .7 34 .7 34 .7s-22 0-26.9 1.3A8 8 0 0 0 1.5 7.7 83 83 0 0 0 .2 24a83 83 0 0 0 1.3 16.3 8 8 0 0 0 5.6 5.7C12 47.3 34 47.3 34 47.3s22 0 26.9-1.3a8 8 0 0 0 5.6-5.7A83 83 0 0 0 67.8 24a83 83 0 0 0-1.3-16.3z\" fill=\"#f00\"\/><path d=\"M27 34l18-10-18-10z\" fill=\"#fff\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>\u201cHe never did blackmail me,\u201d Gates said of Epstein.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut, you know,\u2019 he continued, \u201cit just shows how foolish I was to spend time with him.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em>Foolish <\/em>is accurate, though it is only one of the adjectives that one might use to describe this ill-advised erstwhile association.<\/p>\n<p>Gates claimed that he \u201creally appreciated\u201d giving full answers for the House Oversight Committee.<\/p>\n<p>He added that his grilling is \u201call public\u201d for anyone in the public who feels \u201ccurious.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"thg-ytf\" data-ytid=\"7j1xEv8ZXFU\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/7j1xEv8ZXFU\/hqdefault.jpg\" alt=\"Surviving Jeffrey Epstein: Virginia Giuffre Tells Her Story | Lifetime\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"480\" height=\"360\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/7j1xEv8ZXFU\/hqdefault.jpg\" alt=\"Surviving Jeffrey Epstein: Virginia Giuffre Tells Her Story | Lifetime\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"480\" height=\"360\" class=\"lazyload\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"\/><button type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Play video: Surviving Jeffrey Epstein: Virginia Giuffre Tells Her Story | Lifetime\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 68 48\" width=\"68\" height=\"48\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M66.5 7.7a8 8 0 0 0-5.6-5.7C56 .7 34 .7 34 .7s-22 0-26.9 1.3A8 8 0 0 0 1.5 7.7 83 83 0 0 0 .2 24a83 83 0 0 0 1.3 16.3 8 8 0 0 0 5.6 5.7C12 47.3 34 47.3 34 47.3s22 0 26.9-1.3a8 8 0 0 0 5.6-5.7A83 83 0 0 0 67.8 24a83 83 0 0 0-1.3-16.3z\" fill=\"#f00\"\/><path d=\"M27 34l18-10-18-10z\" fill=\"#fff\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-i-m-very-apologetic-that-i-gave-him-any-credibility-at-all\">\u2018I\u2019m very apologetic that I gave him any credibility at all\u2019<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cI went through every single meeting, every single email. I didn\u2019t have a social relationship,\u201d Bill Gates insisted.<\/p>\n<p>He claimed: \u201cI didn\u2019t meet any women through him.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Though Gates has admitted to having extramarital affairs, he has denied claims \u2014 such as the STD allegation, the plot to slip antibiotics to then-wife Melinda Gates, and more.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI had a misguided view that he could facilitate my raising philanthropic funds for global health,\u201d Gates explained. \u201cIt was a gigantic mistake, which I talked about in my testimony, and I\u2019ve really learned from that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He emphasized: \u201cYou know, I\u2019m very apologetic that I gave him any credibility at all.\u201d <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-9-16 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"thg-ytf\" data-ytid=\"ESaLT58PlDM\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/ESaLT58PlDM\/hqdefault.jpg\" alt=\"Bill Gates: AI debate \u20181,000% bigger\u2019 than nuclear debate\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"480\" height=\"360\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/ESaLT58PlDM\/hqdefault.jpg\" alt=\"Bill Gates: AI debate \u20181,000% bigger\u2019 than nuclear debate\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"480\" height=\"360\" class=\"lazyload\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"\/><button type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Play video: Bill Gates: AI debate \u20181,000% bigger\u2019 than nuclear debate\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 68 48\" width=\"68\" height=\"48\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M66.5 7.7a8 8 0 0 0-5.6-5.7C56 .7 34 .7 34 .7s-22 0-26.9 1.3A8 8 0 0 0 1.5 7.7 83 83 0 0 0 .2 24a83 83 0 0 0 1.3 16.3 8 8 0 0 0 5.6 5.7C12 47.3 34 47.3 34 47.3s22 0 26.9-1.3a8 8 0 0 0 5.6-5.7A83 83 0 0 0 67.8 24a83 83 0 0 0-1.3-16.3z\" fill=\"#f00\"\/><path d=\"M27 34l18-10-18-10z\" fill=\"#fff\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Who among us has <em>not <\/em>accidentally associated with one of the planet\u2019s most notorious predators, one who had a hand or at least ties to financial devastation, the enshittification of video games, and more alongside his numerous sex crimes.<\/p>\n<p>Oh, wait, that\u2019s most of us. Though Epstein had ties to many elite figures, from ex-Prince Andrew to Donald Trump, that\u2019s not an excuse for his associates. These individuals rubbing elbows is <em>a huge part of the problem<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>(Also, bumping into a guy at a fundraiser is very different from visiting one of his infamous properties, such as his private island.)<\/p>\n<p>By the way, some have alleged that Gates\u2019 \u201cwarnings\u201d about AI are actually propaganda designed to make sloptech look more appealing to overly credulous investors.<\/p>\n<p>It isn\u2019t necessarily reverse psychology. But it\u2019s unclear why Gates\u2019 warning is \u201cthis could lead to greater inequality\u201d and not \u201cthe powerful figures behind this wretched tech all have names and addresses and we as people and nations can stop them and hold them accountable in such a way that no one dares to repeat their mistakes for the next ten generations.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehollywoodgossip.com\/2026\/08\/bill-gates-admits-foolish-jeffrey-epstein\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Reading Time: 3 minutes It\u2019s safe to say that Bill Gates has some regrets. While he spent much of a recent interview ostensibly warning about AI, another major topic cropped up. Gates\u2019 name appears in the Epstein Files. He has confirmed some accusations while denying others. The Microsoft founder admits that it was \u201cfoolish\u201d of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":259944,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-259943","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-hollywood"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/259943","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=259943"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/259943\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/259944"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=259943"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=259943"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=259943"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}