Warren Buffett sat down with CNBC’s Becky Quick on Squawk Box and said something no one expected. The 95-year-old investor has not spoken to his longtime friend Bill Gates since the latest Jeffrey Epstein files came out.
He explained his reason in plain terms: he does not want any new details that could put him on the stand in court or before Congress. The comment spread fast across news outlets and social media.
Two of the world’s most famous billionaires built a close bond over decades of business and giving. Now that bond sits on pause. Let’s get into the details.
The CNBC Interview That Shook the Billionaire World
Buffett joined the morning show on March 31, 2026, to talk about markets, charity, and more. The Epstein topic came up when Quick asked about emails in the files that mention Gates.
Buffett kept his answer measured. He called Epstein a sensational con man who preyed on people’s weaknesses whether those involved sex, power, or money. He said he feels lucky he never met the man. Epstein never visited Omaha, and Gates never brought Buffett into any gathering that involved him.
Then came the direct part about their friendship: he has not picked up the phone or sent a message since the files dropped. He told Quick he wants to stay out of it until everything clears up.
The words landed hard because Buffett rarely speaks this openly about personal matters. Viewers saw a man who built his reputation on careful decisions now applying that same caution to a friendship.
Buffett’s Blunt Words on the Epstein Files
Buffett did not dive into every detail of the files. He said his eyesight keeps him from reading them himself so a friend reads them aloud. What he heard left him stunned at how one person could fool so many powerful figures.
He noted that people had lied or rationalized their ties to Epstein before the documents opened everything up. When Quick pressed on whether he had learned anything worrisome about the Gates Foundation, Buffett admitted there was a lot he did not know.
He served as one of three trustees alongside Gates and Melinda Gates. They met once a year and he chose not to ask tough questions. He figured if he needed to probe that deeply, he would not have given the money in the first place. He resigned from the board shortly after the couple’s divorce became public.
Buffett made clear he does not want to learn anything new right now. He repeated that he could get called as a witness and he does not want to be under oath. Those lines captured the practical side of a man who has spent a lifetime avoiding unnecessary risk.
Decades of Friendship and Billions in Giving
Buffett and Gates first connected in 1991. Their relationship grew into one of the most visible partnerships in business and philanthropy. Together with Melinda, they launched The Giving Pledge urging the richest people to give away most of their wealth.
Since 2006, Buffett has sent more than 43 billion dollars in Berkshire Hathaway stock to the Gates Foundation. That makes him one of the largest donors in the foundation’s history. The money supported global health education and poverty work on a massive scale. Buffett has always spoken warmly about the good the foundation achieved.
In the same interview, he said he does not regret those gifts. He added that he wishes certain things had not happened but the past donations stand. The friendship included fun times and shared goals.
Buffett even joked in the past about how Gates helped him understand technology. Now the public sees a clear break in daily contact even while the money already given continues its work.
What This Means for Two of the World’s Richest Men
Gates has faced questions about his meetings with Epstein starting years after Epstein’s 2008 conviction. He has said he regrets the association and denied any knowledge of illegal activity. He agreed to testify before the House Oversight Committee.
The friendship that once symbolized smart giving now highlights how even the biggest names draw lines when legal risks appear. Buffett, at 95, still makes choices that put clarity first.
The world watches to see whether the silence lasts or whether the shared history eventually pulls them back into conversation once the files stop making headlines. For now, the distance remains and Buffett’s reason stands as clear as his famous investment advice.
What do you think?