Elon Musk donated around $5.74 billion to charity in November, just weeks after tweeting that if the UN World Food Program showed him how $6 billion would solve world hunger, he would “sell Tesla stock right now and do it.”
It’s unclear, however, where Musk will be donating that $5.74 billion. Musk sold 5,044,000 Tesla shares worth that amount and gave the money to charity between Nov. 19 and Nov. 29, according to an SEC filing. The recipient is anonymous.
This massive donation to an undisclosed charity came just weeks after executive director of the World Food Program David Beasley told CNN on Oct. 26 that the world’s elite needed to “step up” to end global food insecurity, specifically citing Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos. Beasley said that “$6 billion [would] help 42 million people that are literally going to die if we don’t reach them. It’s not complicated.”
On Oct. 31 Musk tweeted an article citing the interview, writing: “If WFP [the UN’s World Food Program] can describe on this Twitter thread exactly how $6B will solve world hunger, I will sell Tesla stock right now and do it.”
Beasley then replied to Musk’s tweet with a clarification, writing that $6 billion would not end world hunger, but that it would prevent factors such as “geopolitical instability, mass migration, and save 42 million people on the brink of starvation.”
Then, on Nov. 15, Beasley tweeted the UN’s $6.6 billion hunger plan to Elon Musk, which outlined how the UN could distribute $6.6 billion worth of meals and vouchers to feed over 40 million people across 43 countries that are “on the brink of famine.”
“@elonmusk, you asked for a clear plan & open books. Here it is!” wrote Beasley. “We’re ready to talk with you—and anyone else—who is serious about saving lives.”
The UN’s WFP says it hasn’t received a check from Musk yet. “Whether WFP receives any of [Musk’s $5.6 billion donation] is yet to be seen, but I am excited to hear that Elon is engaged,” the organization said in a statement.
Musk estimated in December that he would pay “over $11 billion” in 2021 taxes. A large donation could help to offset that price tag.
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