Trump says Microsoft's Bill Gates has asked to visit him in Florida

Former CEO of Microsoft, Bill Gates enters the stage during the Clinton Global Initiative, on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)

Donald Trump said Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has asked to visit him at the president-elect's Mar-a-Lago home in Florida on Friday night.

Part way through a Truth Social post on Friday morning, Trump referred to his Mar-a-Lago home, saying "Bill Gates asked to come, tonight. We miss you and x! New Year's Eve is going to be AMAZING!!! DJT." Trump provided no further details.

Emails and calls to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation asking about a potential Gates visit to Mar-a-Lago were not immediately answered.

Gates has been critical of Trump in the past, particularly over his first administration's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Gates publicly congratulated Trump on his Nov. 5 election victory and expressed hope they could work together.

Some of the biggest tech sector companies in the U.S. have pledged donations to Trump's inaugural fund as they seek more favorable relations with the Republican president-elect before he takes office on Jan. 20.

In November, Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg visited Trump at Mar-a-Lago. Meta has donated $1 million to Trump's inaugural fund, a company spokesperson told Reuters on Dec. 12.

Other tech companies that are donating $1 million to Trump's inaugural fund include Amazon and Uber Technologies.

(Reporting by Tim Reid in Washington; Editing by Howard Goller)