The private foundation belonging to Microsoft founder Bill Gates and his wife announced a contribution of an additional $150 million to fight the coronavirus pandemic Wednesday — hours after the billionaire philanthropist was briefly drawn into partisan sniping over President Donald Trump’s actions during the public health crisis.

“This is a unique situation; we are in a unique position to help,” Mark Suzman, CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, said in a statement, adding that since the organization’s formation in 2000, “it does feel that the investments we’ve made, expertise we’ve built, and experience we’ve gained over the last two decades has prepared us for this moment.”


The foundation previously pledged $100 million in February. The $250 million overall commitment is intended “to support development of diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines; help strengthen African and South Asian health systems; and help mitigate the social and economic impacts of the virus,” a news release from the foundation said.