Melinda French Gates believes the questions surrounding Jeffrey Epstein — and even her ex-husband, Bill Gates — indicate a “reckoning as a society” is coming.
In an interview with NPR’s “Wild Card” podcast, Melinda first spoke more widely about the transgressions committed by Epstein. “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 explained.
She continued: “It’s beyond heartbreaking, right? I remember being those ages those girls were, I remember my daughters being those ages.”
Melinda French Gates said “my ex-husband” needs to face questions
Melinda didn’t stop there. The attention surrounding Epstein and his associates is difficult, she added, because of her connection to the story.
“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,” Melinda explained. “But I have moved on from that.”
When it comes to “whatever questions remain” about what did or didn’t happen, she also said that “those questions are for those people and for even my ex-husband. They need to answer to those things, not me.”
Melinda and Bill Gates announced their divorce in 2021
Melinda and Bill announced their plans to divorce in 2021. “After a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship, we have made the decision to end our marriage. Over the last 27 years, we have raised three incredible children and built a foundation that works all over the world to enable all people to lead healthy, productive lives,” they said in a statement.
They continued: “We continue to share a belief in that mission and will continue our work together at the foundation, but we no longer believe we can grow together as a couple in this next phase of our lives. We ask for space and privacy for our family as we begin to navigate this new life.”
Melinda later resigned from her role with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2024.
The pair married in Hawaii in January 1994 and share three children: son Rory John and daughters Phoebe Adele and Jennifer Katharine.
Melinda referenced Bill’s alleged infidelities and ties to Epstein in her 2021 memoir, The Next Day.
“I’m able to take my own sadness and look at those young girls and say, ‘My god, how did they — how did that happen to those girls?’ “ she also told NPR. “And so for me, it’s just sadness, sadness for — you know, I’ve left, I left my marriage, I had to leave my marriage, I wanted to leave my marriage, and so it’s just sad. That’s the truth.”
Melinda added that she hopes there is a future for many of the women who were involved. “At least for me, I’ve been able to move on in life and I hope there’s some justice for those now-women, right?” she said. “We see them standing up in front of microphones in D.C. What they went through is just unimaginable.”
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