Microsoft co-founder and billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates is set to appear before the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, for a closed-door transcribed interview as part of the panel’s sweeping investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his network of powerful associates.
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Why Is Bill Gates Testifying Before Congress?
Gates’ appearance comes after months of intense scrutiny following the Department of Justice’s release of millions of pages of Epstein-related documents, which featured Gates’ name thousands of times. The committee’s Republican chairman, Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, formally wrote to Gates on March 3, 2026, requesting his testimony, stating that “due to public reporting, documents released by the Department of Justice, and documents obtained by the Committee, the Committee believes you have information that will assist in its investigation.”
Originally scheduled for May 19, the interview was rescheduled to June 10 and will be conducted as a closed-door transcribed session — not recorded on video. The committee has indicated it will release a transcript in the days following the interview, consistent with how it has handled other high-profile appearances in this investigation.
Gates’ Statement: ‘Welcomes the Opportunity’
A spokesperson for Gates said the Microsoft co-founder “welcomes the opportunity to appear before the Committee,” adding that “while he never witnessed or participated in any of Epstein’s illegal conduct, he is looking forward to answering all the committee’s questions to support their important work.”
Gates has consistently denied any knowledge of or involvement in Epstein’s crimes, characterizing his relationship with the disgraced financier as a serious mistake rooted in philanthropic discussions.
What the Epstein Files Revealed About Gates
The DOJ’s Epstein files have placed Gates at the center of renewed controversy. Documents revealed that Gates allegedly met with Epstein multiple times after the financier’s 2008 conviction for sex crimes involving minors. An email from 2013 indicates Gates planned to travel on Epstein’s private jet. According to DOJ documents, Epstein spent nearly a decade — from at least 2011 through 2014 — cultivating his relationship with Gates, primarily in pursuit of a donor-advised fund through which Gates would help manage the wealth of newly minted billionaires. After the project stalled in 2014, Epstein reportedly escalated his communications with Gates and his deputies in an effort to revive the arrangement.
In July 2013, Epstein sent himself emails containing unverified and explosive allegations about Gates’ personal life. Gates’ spokesperson called those claims “absolutely absurd and completely false,” saying the only thing the documents demonstrate is “Epstein’s frustration that he did not have an ongoing relationship with Gates and the lengths he would go to entrap and defame.”
Gates Apologizes to Foundation Staff
In February 2026, Gates addressed his Gates Foundation staff directly at a town hall meeting, apologizing for his ties to Epstein and the fallout it caused the organization. “It was a huge mistake to spend time with Epstein,” Gates said, according to a recording reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. “I apologize to other people who are drawn into this because of the mistake that I made.”
Gates also acknowledged at the town hall that he had two affairs — one with a Russian bridge player and one with a Russian nuclear physicist — but maintained that neither involved Epstein’s victims. “I did nothing illicit. I saw nothing illicit. To be clear, I never spent any time with victims, the women around him,” Gates told staff.
Gates Foundation Launches External Review
The Gates Foundation has not been left unscathed by the revelations. In February, the foundation released a statement clarifying that a small number of employees had interacted with Epstein based on his claims that he could mobilize significant philanthropic resources for global health and development. The foundation stressed that no collaboration with Epstein was ever pursued and no financial payments were ever made to him.
By March 2026, Gates Foundation CEO Mark Suzman announced in a memo to staff that the foundation had commissioned an independent external review to assess its past engagement with Epstein and to evaluate its policies for vetting new philanthropic partnerships. That review, launched with the cooperation of Gates and the foundation’s independent board members, is expected to deliver an update later this summer.
Who Else Has Appeared Before the Committee?
Gates is the latest in a high-profile series of witnesses to sit before the House Oversight Committee’s Epstein investigators. Others who have already appeared include:
- Former President Bill Clinton
- Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
- Billionaire Les Wexner
- Convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell
- Former Attorney General Pam Bondi
- Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick
- Lesley Groff, Epstein’s longtime assistant (appeared Tuesday, June 9)
On the horizon, the committee plans to interview billionaire investor Leon Black, former Clinton aide Doug Band, former Goldman Sachs lawyer Kathryn Ruemmler, and former Barclays CEO Jes Staley.
Epstein Victims Weigh In
Annie Farmer, who has publicly testified that Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell sexually abused her at Epstein’s New Mexico ranch when she was 16, told NPR on Monday that many people do not fully grasp the depth and personal nature of the Gates-Epstein relationship. “What we’ve seen so far is that a lot of people have taken the stance of just wanting to cover for themselves and have not offered real information,” Farmer said of the high-profile witnesses who have appeared before the committee.
Rep. James Comer has been clear about the committee’s mission. “The government has failed the survivors,” Comer told reporters before Pam Bondi’s appearance in May. “We’re taking this investigation seriously.”
What Happens After Today’s Testimony?
Because the interview is transcribed rather than videotaped, the public will not immediately see footage of Gates’ appearance. However, the committee is expected to release the full transcript within the coming days, potentially shedding new light on the extent of the Gates-Epstein relationship and what, if anything, Gates knew about Epstein’s broader network of alleged crimes. The Gates Foundation’s independent external review is also expected to produce findings later this summer, adding another layer of accountability to an already intensely watched saga.
Will Bill Gates’ testimony before Congress bring new revelations to light — or raise more questions than answers? Drop your thoughts in the comments below and stay tuned for updates as the transcript is released.
