Buffett defends 'Giving Pledge' against Thiel and 'billionaire backlash'

March 21, 2026

TL;DR

Warren Buffett defends the Giving Pledge, co-founded with Bill Gates, against a 'billionaire backlash'.
The Giving Pledge encourages wealthy philanthropists to commit the majority of their wealth to charitable causes.
Critics like Peter Thiel are privately encouraging signers to cancel their pledges.
The pace of new Giving Pledge sign-ups has slowed significantly over the past decade.
Some view the pledge as outdated, a 'charity charade,' or ineffective in the current economic climate.
Criticism also stems from Bill Gates' association with Jeffrey Epstein and from the left for being 'unfulfilled' and 'not our ticket to a fairer, better future.'
Buffett also reflects on his own journey with editing his shareholder letters, influenced by Carol Loomis.

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