Melinda French Gates reveals she is voting for Biden in 2024 presidential election and urges women to have their voices heard

Melinda Gates has said she is 'absolutely not' voting for Donald Trump and believes that women will make the difference in the 2024 presidential election.

The 59-year-old former wife of Microsoft billionaire Bill, 68, has long been connected to Democrats, with Barack Obama helping to promote her book.

She spoke to Gayle King for an interview this week where she made it clear who she's backing in 2024.

'I absolutely am not voting for Trump, and I will vote for Biden,' she said.

Gates also said that it's 'more than likely' she will campaign for and endorse the current president.

The philanthropist says that she's voted for Republicans in the past but that Trump's words about women and policies regarding women are a dealbreaker.

She credits women reacting to the reversal of Roe vs Wade for Democrat success in the midterms.

'Women turned out in the mid-term elections and said, 'This is enough.' And we've gotta do it again,' she told CBS News. 

Gates has slammed Trump in the past, condemning the Trump administration's response to the coronavirus pandemic, saying that a lack of leadership at the national level has led to 'chaos' across the board. 

The billionaire philanthropist, who co-chairs the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation along with her Microsoft co-founder husband, did not mince words when asked to weigh in on America's handling of the global health crisis in an interview.

'I'm both surprised we weren’t better prepared, but quite honestly I’m surprised we’ve wasted so much time. That we haven’t had leadership at the national level to get out tests in the right way, protective gear in the right way, contact tracing in the right way,' Gates said. 

'With lack of leadership, there are 50 homegrown state solutions, and that just shouldn't be.' 

Her friendship with the Obamas includes a partnership with former First Lady Michelle to work to end child marriage. 

Since her divorce from Bill, Melinda has maintained a very close relationship with her daughters, regularly taking Phoebe with her on trips around the world.  

However, she was the center of headlines a few weeks ago when she stepped out in New York City sporting an enormous diamond ring. 

The sight led many to question whether she was planning to walk down the aisle with her former Fox News anchor boyfriend Jon Du Pre, who she was first linked with back in 2022. 

But the billionaire philanthropist quick shut down any suggestion that she and Jon, 65, are headed for the altar when she addressed the speculation in a statement via her rep this morning, confirming that the pair have broken up - and insisting that she is not currently engaged to anyone. 

'Melinda is not engaged and is no longer dating Jon Du Pre,' a spokesperson told Page Six.

The mother-of-three, who has had no public romances since her relationship with Jon was revealed back in 2022, did seem more eager to conceal the bauble during her latest outing however - crossing her arms over her chest in what could well have been an attempt to hide the dazzler from view. 

Melinda and Bill split after nearly three decades of marriage in 2021. 

The couple released a statement at the time of their split and revealed that their wasn't just 'one moment' that led to it. 

Despite their estranged relationship, the couple seems to continue to be doting parents to their children.