‘Don’t Call it a Web!’ Bill Gates Gets Testy as NYT’s Ezra Klein Presses Him on Epstein Relationship

Microsoft founder Bill Gates grew defensive with The New York Times‘ Ezra Klein as he faced questions about his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, at one point pushing back, “Don’t call it a web!”

Gates joined Tuesday’s edition of The Ezra Klein Show, where the host noted that in preparing for this interview, he fielded “skepticism” about the tech leader’s ties to Epstein.

Gates first met Epstein in 2011, three years after the financier pleaded guilty to soliciting prostitution from a minor, and continued interacting with him until 2014. Earlier this year, Gates acknowledged having extramarital affairs with two Russian women during his marriage. The admission came after the release of a 2013 email in which Epstein alleged Gates had contracted a sexually transmitted disease after having sex with “Russian girls” — a claim Gates has denied as “completely false.”

In June, Gates testified for nearly six hours behind closed doors before the House Oversight Committee as part of its Epstein investigation, calling his association with Epstein a “grave error in judgment” while denying that he witnessed or participated in any illegal activity.

“What do you say to people who have lost some faith in you?” Klein asked.

“They should read what I said to Congress,” Gates responded. “I, in trying to raise money for global health, thought that Epstein could connect me [to billionaires] because of his relationship with them.”

“You’re the billionaire,” Klein clapped back. (According to Forbes, Gates is worth $114.4 billion.) “You felt that he had connections that would be of value to you?”

“To raise money for global health, yes,” the Microsoft founder insisted. “Did you read [my testimony]?”

“I did,” the host confirmed. “The hole at the center of that story for me is how this guy was so compelling to so many very smart, very wealthy people… What was the kind of factor about him that allowed him to weave this web that you and so many other people were in?”

“Well, I wasn’t in a web,” Gates pushed back. “I was in discussions about raising money for global health. I didn’t go to any island or meet any women. Don’t call it a web!”

Watch above on YouTube.

Jason Cohen contributed to this report.

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