Bill Gates to meet with Trump at White House

Jessica Guynn | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Bill and Melinda Gates turn toward U.S. poverty Bill and Melinda Gates, the world’s foremost philanthropists, are rethinking their work in America as they confront their unsatisfactory track record, the country’s growing inequity. (Feb. 13)

SAN FRANCISCO — Bill Gates, who has been critical of Donald Trump's policies in recent months, is scheduled to meet with the president Thursday in the Oval Office.

The meeting, expected to take place in the afternoon, is closed to press, according to the White House schedule.

Ahead of that meeting, Gates told Politico that he'll try to impress upon Trump the importance of foreign aid to maintaining the United States' leadership position on the international stage.

"I'll take his framework … and I'll explain that even within that narrow framework where you don't take into account things like saving lives in Africa and the pure humanitarian benefit, even without that, this is money well spent," Gates said.

The Microsoft co-founder told USA TODAY in late January he worried the United States would lose its geopolitical clout if the Trump administration slashed foreign aid, diminishing its role in providing aid to poor countries and allowing rival superpowers such as China to flex their influence overseas.

“I hope we can keep our reputation in a deserved way,” Gates said.

On Thursday, Gates said he does not agree with the America First stance, according to Axios.

"Americans don't want to have pandemics, and Americans don't want to have to send soldiers to restore stability in Africa," he said.

Gates has met with Trump before, during the transition at Trump Tower and last March at the White House where they discussed a "shared commitment to finding and stopping disease outbreaks around the world."

Since then, the Trump administration's policies and the president's derogatory comments about African countries and Haiti have caused problems for the billionaire philanthropist. Gates could not be immediately reached for comment.

This year Bill Gates and wife Melinda Gates made Trump part of the annual letter they publish about the philanthropic activities of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

In the letter, they addressed 10 tough questions they frequently get. No. 6 was: "How are President Trump’s policies affecting your foundation’s work?"

The technology industry has had a frequently tense relationship with the Trump administration on key policy issues such as immigration.

Bill Gates' dire warning: U.S. could lose its global leadership role under Trump