‘Happy to be away from the muck’: Melinda Gates says Bill’s Epstein ties revived marriage trauma
MELINDA GATES: “It brings back memories of some very painful times in my marriage — They need to answer to those things, not me.”
— The Tennessee Holler (@TheTNHoller) February 3, 2026
She implies she left her marriage and the Gates Foundation for reasons related to Bill’s ties to Epstein. pic.twitter.com/phkut8MRC2
DALLAS, TEXAS: In a recent podcast appearance, Melinda Gates expressed profound distress over newly surfaced documents linking her ex-husband, Bill Gates, to the late Jeffrey Epstein.
Melinda described the situation as “heartbreaking,” while emphasizing her relief at having moved on from a painful chapter of her life.
Melinda Gates reacts to Epstein-linked documents
Appearing on NPR’s 'Wild Card' podcast, Melinda Gates addressed the latest batch of Department of Justice documents that mention Bill Gates in connection with the disgraced financier.
When host Rachel Martin asked for her reaction to the recent disclosures, Melinda said that “it is beyond heartbreaking.” She spoke about how serious the abuse was for Epstein’s victims and how deeply these revelations affect society.
“I think we're having a reckoning as a society, right? No girl, no girl should ever be put in the situation that they were put in by Epstein and whatever was going on with all of the various people around him,” she remarked.
Melinda Gates opens up about divorce pain
Melinda shared how the public reports affect her personally, saying they remind her of difficult times in her marriage. “It's beyond heartbreaking, right? I remember being those ages those girls were, I remember my daughters being those ages,” she shared.
The philanthropist admitted that the recurring headlines serve as a painful reminder of the internal struggles she faced before her divorce.
“So for me, it’s personally hard whenever those details come up, right, because it brings back memories of some very, very painful times in my marriage,” she explained.
Despite the lingering heaviness of the subject, she was firm about her current state of mind, adding, “But I have moved on from that. I purposely pushed it away and I moved on.”
Melinda Gates says Bill must answer Epstein claims
The documents at the center of the controversy include a 2013 email in which Epstein made graphic, unverified claims regarding Bill Gates’ private life, including allegations of illicit encounters and medical requests.
Melinda was clear about where she believes responsibility for the claims lies, stating that her ex-husband needs “to answer” questions surrounding his past, while noting, “I am so happy to be away from all the muck that was there.”
For his part, Bill has consistently characterized his past meetings with Epstein as a grave error in judgment, maintained they were for charitable purposes, and strongly denied the specific allegations through a spokesperson.
The representative labeled the claims as “absolutely absurd and completely false,” suggesting they were desperate fabrications by a man frustrated by his inability to maintain a relationship with the Microsoft co-founder.