Jeff Bezos’ former wife MacKenzie Scott has given away over $26 billion since her divorce in 2019, making her one of the biggest individual donors in history. But her massive giving has drawn sharp criticism from Elon Musk, who says her donations are actually making the world a worse place.
The conflict started on June 27 when Pubity, a viral media brand, posted on X about Scott’s giving. The post said her $26.3 billion in donations made her one of the biggest donors ever. A user named @FrenlyOfficer responded saying, “Unfortunately, she’s spending it making the world a worse place.” Musk quickly responded: “Sadly, yes.”
This is not the first time Musk has criticized Scott. In 2024, he posted a message that many interpreted as targeting Scott, writing: “Super rich ex-wives who hate their former spouse should be listed among ‘Reasons that Western Civilization died’.” He later deleted that post. In 2022, Musk also claimed Scott was donating to political action committees pretending to be charities.
Why Elon Musk Disagrees With MacKenzie Scott’s Giving
Musk has been open about his views on giving money away. He said on the WTF podcast in December 2025 that giving money well is hard. Musk said it’s easy to give money to look good, but very difficult to give money to actually help people.
Scott’s approach is completely different. She gives what is called “trust-based philanthropy.” This means she provides unrestricted funding so nonprofits can spend the money however they need to, without lengthy applications or strict rules about how to use it. This method is unusual because most big donors attach conditions to their gifts.
Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan also criticized Scott’s approach in February 2026. Tan said her lack of oversight causes problems, comparing it to “pouring sugar on the floor” that attracts chaos. Musk agreed, replying “Yup” to Tan’s post. Tan pointed to a Harvard spokesperson who said the university found out about its $80 million grant when someone from Scott’s Yield Giving simply emailed them with no prior conversation about whether the school could handle such a large gift.
Katie Miller Also Criticizes Scott’s Donations
Katie Miller, a podcaster and former adviser to the Department of Government Efficiency, also criticized Scott in a post on X. Miller listed where some of Scott’s money has gone:
- $275 million to Planned Parenthood
- $51 million to The Trevor Project (supports LGBTQ youth)
- $1.2 billion for racial equity education
- $586 million to racial justice groups including Movement for Black Lives
- $163 million to LGBTQ organizations including Transgender Law Center
- $133 million to gender equity causes
- $125 million to climate justice
- $200 million to immigration groups
Miller claimed Scott has given almost entirely to progressive groups that “seek to dismantle the very way of life that built her fortune.”
What MacKenzie Scott Has Actually Done With Her Money
Scott received a 4% stake in Amazon as part of her divorce settlement in 2019, worth about $36 billion at the time. Since then, she has given away more than 75% of the Amazon shares she received. She now ranks sixth among the world’s top philanthropists, behind Bill Gates and Warren Buffett.
Despite giving away billions, Scott is still worth about $33.3 billion according to Forbes. This is because Amazon’s stock price has more than doubled since her divorce, so her remaining shares continue to grow in value. In fact, her wealth has gone up even as she gives money away.
In 2025 alone, Scott gave away an estimated $7.2 billion, which is more than what Musk, Larry Page, Larry Ellison, and even Bezos have donated in their entire lifetimes combined.
Some of her biggest donations include:
- $80 million to Howard University in November 2025, one of the largest gifts in the school’s history
- $70 million to Meals on Wheels America to help deliver meals to seniors across the US
- $70 million each to the United Negro College Fund and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund
- $63 million to Morgan State University and Prairie View A&M University
- $50 million to Virginia State University, Norfolk State University, and Winston-Salem State University
- $42 million to Elizabeth City State University, Alcorn State University, and others
Scott’s giving to historically Black colleges and universities has now crossed $1 billion. She has also given to tribal colleges like Red Lake Nation College, Bay Mills Community College, and Little Priest Tribal College.
Why Some People Question Scott’s Giving
Some critics point to unintended problems caused by Scott’s donations. Whittier College, a small Hispanic school, received $12 million from Scott. According to reports, the college president used some of the funds to hire her son for a six-figure role that staff said lacked a clear purpose. After that, leadership changed, freshman enrollment dropped from about 490 to fewer than 300, and the school later faced a $10 million budget shortfall.
Some organizations that received Scott’s money also reported problems. Big Brothers Big Sisters of America said some long-time donors stopped giving, thinking the organization no longer needed help after getting Scott’s gift. Other groups struggled with managing expectations, especially when some affiliates got money but others did not.
A study by the Center for Effective Philanthropy found mostly positive effects, however. Organizations said Scott’s donations helped them strengthen operations, invest in technology, and expand services. Many used the funds to attract additional donations from other sources, because Scott’s support added credibility.
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Scott’s Unusual Approach to Giving
Scott operates through Yield Giving, her philanthropic organization founded in 2022. She rarely gives interviews or makes public appearances. She doesn’t put her name on buildings or ask for recognition.
Her “no strings attached” style is very different from traditional philanthropy. Most donors require detailed applications, specific spending rules, and regular reports. Scott’s approach gives organizations freedom to use money where it is needed most.
In a December 2025 essay, Scott defended her approach, writing that generosity creates effects far beyond what can be measured. She said it is these ripple effects that make it impossible to imagine the power of any act of kindness.
Scott has given money to over 2,700 organizations since 2020. She signed the Giving Pledge in May 2019, promising to give away at least half of her wealth during her lifetime. She has said she intends to keep giving until the “safe is empty.”
The debate between Musk and Scott highlights a larger question: What is the best way for billionaires to give away their money? Should they trust organizations to use funds as they see fit, or should they carefully control how every dollar is spent?
For now, Scott continues her approach. Her $7.2 billion in giving during 2025 is the largest amount donated by any individual worldwide since tracking began in 2012.
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