Bill Gates's stylists reportedly test out his outfits on a custom lookalike mannequin each week before the billionaire wears them, according to Microsoft employees. This ritual is part of a broader effort by his team to carefully curate the Microsoft founder's appearance to resemble that of beloved children's show host Mister Rogers, as reported by The Wall Street Journal.
Mister Rogers, portrayed by the late Fred Rogers, famously wore a red knit cardigan, dress shirt, patterned tie, dress pants, and sneakers on his long-running show Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. Gates's stylists assemble smart but non-threatening outfits to make him appear calm and approachable, sources claim.
Gates, who has been embroiled in scandal for months over his past friendship with convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, is now being outfitted in a similar manner. His stylists store a selection of neutral-colored crew and V-neck sweaters, button-down shirts, nice slacks, and extra glasses at an off-site building, where they narrow down his weekly wardrobe, current and former employees told the Journal. The final options are then sent to senior staff for final approval.
Epstein Scandal Intensifies
Emphasis on Gates's image has likely increased since January 30, when the Department of Justice (DOJ) released bombshell documents revealing more details about his friendship with Epstein. The files contained an email Epstein wrote to himself claiming that Gates slept with Russian girls, contracted a sexually transmitted disease, and then planned to slip antibiotics to his then-wife, Melinda French Gates. Gates has previously denied the STD and antibiotics claims and has always denied all allegations of impropriety.
After the alleged revelations became public, the 70-year-old billionaire held a private town hall meeting with employees of the Gates Foundation, one of the world's largest private philanthropic organizations, from which Melinda resigned as co-chair in 2024. During the closed-door gathering, internally referred to as 'BG Unplugged,' Gates confessed to two affairs with the Russian women mentioned in Epstein's correspondence, the Journal reported. The admission shocked staff, as Gates' divorce proceedings included an allegation of more than 20 affairs, according to the Journal.
Gates told employees that his relationship with Epstein was a mistake and that the controversy is the 'opposite of the values of the foundation,' the outlet reported. The more than 1,000 emails released in the DOJ files caused such a stir that several people were left crying in the audience during another town hall, according to WSJ.
Foundation Fallout
Mark Suzman, who took over as the foundation's CEO in 2020, held a meeting in February, days after the files were released. Gates was not in attendance. During the discussion, multiple employees asked about Gates' ties to Epstein, and one asked Suzman how to address the claims with foundation partners. Suzman admitted to staffers that he felt 'somewhat sullied' by the association with Epstein and that it has tested the charitable organization's mission, sources said.
After the allegations came out, the Gates Foundation quickly saw a domino effect of nonprofit executives, world leaders, and even Microsoft pulling out of events involving Gates. Despite his internal team's efforts to maintain his reputation, they faced pushback, leading to acceptance that Gates' credibility has been scarred by his ties to Epstein. His team was prepared to host his annual CEO summit in Washington state, but weeks before, they received word that it would be best to skip this year's events, a person close to the matter told the outlet. 'While it didn’t work out this year, we’ve already extended an invitation for Bill to attend the CEO Summit next year,' a Microsoft spokesperson told WSJ.
Gates traveled to Vijayawada, India, in mid-February before heading to Mumbai and New Delhi, where he was scheduled to deliver a keynote speech at an AI conference, but that never happened. Instead, days before the events, Indian government officials told local outlets that Gates' invite was being reviewed due to his appearance in the Epstein files. While the review took place, the Gates Foundation's India office shared opposite news of Gates' attendance. 'Bill Gates is attending the AI Impact Summit. He will be delivering his keynote as scheduled,' a post on X read. However, Gates missed a dinner with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other world leaders after government officials decided he should not attend the summit to avoid shifting focus from AI to his personal life. Days later, Gates told his staff that it was a 'mutual agreement,' WSJ reported.
Polling Data Shows Impact
The effects of Gates' relationship with Epstein were documented by two separate polling teams, one at the Gates Foundation and another at Gates Ventures, his private office. The data, tracked for years, looks into opinions about Gates, including his favorability and overall trustworthiness, according to internal documents obtained by WSJ. He was seen as one of America's most trusted and admired men in 2019, shortly before the Epstein scandal erupted. But there has been a 40 percent increase in 'critical news narratives' about Gates and his foundation through February since the Epstein files were released, the data showed.
Gates is set to testify before the House Oversight Committee in a closed-door interview on June 10 as part of Congress's ongoing investigation into Epstein's network. He will remain off camera and is being represented by John Moran, a former senior DOJ official.
When contacted by the Daily Mail for comment, the Gates Foundation said: 'The harm Epstein inflicted on women and girls was horrific, and the foundation regrets having any employees interact with him in any way. The Gates Foundation remains focused on its mission to help improve lives in the US and globally; to advance that mission, our Chair, CEO and Board remain fully engaged in the work ahead.' The Daily Mail also reached out to Microsoft for comment.
