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Bill Gates Says Trump Asked Him to Be Science Adviser

Microsoft founder let the president down gently.

Donald Trump asked Bill Gates if he would think about joining his administration as a science adviser—the Microsoft founder let him down gently by saying he didn’t think it was the “a good use of [his] time.” Trump has failed to fill the vacant position since the last director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, John Holdren, resigned at the end of the Obama administration. Gates brought up his concern about the vacancy during a meeting with Trump, recalling to Stat News: “I mentioned: ‘Hey, maybe we should have a science adviser.’ He said: Did I want to be the science adviser?” He recalled telling the president: “That’s not a good use of my time.” Gates also claimed he got Trump “super interested” about the pursuit of a universal flu vaccine.