If you mean the Donald J. Trump Foundation, there is essentially no evidence that it was ever engaged in any kind of charitable activity. It was essentially a money laundering operation to give Trump access to tax-free money (much of it “donated” by other people) and to create what I’m sure someone might term “works of art” glorifying Trump. Example:
Stranger
I apologize for the snippy comment. It’s been a trying week.
So, I don’t think there is any question that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is a legitimate philanthropic organization that actually invests in programs to reduce poverty and improve health in the developing world. As far as I can tell, Gates doesn’t actually have any ability to use the foundations assets as collateral for personal expenses, and the foundation has legitimate officers who are presumably responsible for the day to day operations with the Gates’ giving strategic direction.
I’m morally certain that someone like Bill Gates has a personal trust, both for managing his own finances and to transfer wealth to his children after he passes without probate, but a substantial portion of his personal wealth is in the foundation trust and he has publicly pledged to dispense most of his wealth into it. Of course, it has become evident that one of Bill Gates’ goals with the Foundation is to be considered for a Nobel Peace Prize, so it isn’t pure altruism (and it was Melinda who originally stimulated his interest in charitable given and the problems in the developing world) but the foundation is a legitimate philanthropic enterprise, not just a front for protecting his wealth or dodge taxes.
Stranger
FWIW, the ex-billionaire Chuck Freeney is one who inspired Warren Buffet and Bill Gates to donate nearly 200 billion to charity.
https://www.gatesnotes.com/about-bill-gates/chuck-feeney-the-billionaire-trying-to-go-broke
Freeney got rich setting up a chain of duty free shops. He had a net worth of around 8 billion. Then he gave all but a few million away (which he kept for his retirement).
Isn’t the portrait in that article the one from Ghostbusters 2? The one of Vigo – the baddie?
I’ve known a few people over the years who were worth somewhere between “a few hundred million” and “a couple of billion”, and without exception, all these people are/were indistinguishable from the ordinary people you meet every day. All these people were self-made men for the most part (some were from wealthy families who bankrolled their starts in business, but their success was several orders of magnitude beyond their starting points), and just happened to be extremely successful doing what a lot of other people were also doing.
None of these guys are/were in the Bezos/Zuckerberg/Musk/Buffet league, though. Also, it’s possible that the guys I’ve known are not randomly selected, and that the rich guys who are “not like us” are much less likely to interact with people like me, for that very reason.
And similarly, for that same reason are the ones who are highly visible and turned into virtual living memes in the popular culture. Because someone who just very effectively manages their corporation to stay ahead of the competition, and has a megayatch and mansion and throws big A-list parties, but otherwise gets along well with others and does nothing particularly supervillainous, will not make headlines.