Melinda French Gates has described her reaction to the recent release of Department of Justice documents related to Jeffrey Epstein, which once again mention her ex-husband Bill Gates, as one of “incredible sadness.” Speaking in a preview of NPR’s “Wild Card” podcast, she said the revelations have resurfaced painful memories of her marriage.
French Gates emphasized that the real tragedy is for the girls who were exploited. She called the situation “heartbreaking” and said that no child should ever have to endure such abuse. While the new revelations have brought back difficult emotions, she made it clear that the unresolved questions are for those directly involved, not for her.
French Gates, who divorced Bill Gates in 2021, said she felt she had to leave both her marriage and the Gates Foundation, and that she is relieved to be out of that situation. She expressed hope that the victims will receive justice as millions of Epstein-related documents continue to be released by the Department of Justice.