Squawk Pod: Bonus: Warren Buffett in Omaha - 07/15/26 | Audio Only
Speakers
Warren Buffett
— Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, former CEO
Summary
In a July 2026 interview, Warren Buffett discusses his decision to stop charitable gifts to the Gates Foundation and instead accelerate donations to his children's foundations and the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation. He details Berkshire's large new stake in Alphabet, reiterates his confidence in Apple and American Express, and expresses total trust in Greg Abel as his successor, which enables a faster dispersal of his Berkshire shares. Buffett also comments on the speculative nature of markets, the IRS case against Coca-Cola, and his view on Federal Reserve chair Kevin Warsh.
- Buffett ends 20-year giving relationship with Gates Foundation after reviewing Epstein-related files but still considers Bill Gates a friend.
- He channels $4.5 billion this year to the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation and increases gifts to his three children's foundations.
- Buffett sees his children as fully ready to handle vast philanthropy and has 100% confidence in their stewardship.
- Berkshire has built a $30+ billion position in Alphabet; Buffett says the company is now an AI capex story and more likely a winner than most Wall Street merch.
- He still loves Apple, trusts Tim Cook, and believes American Express is a superior business earning 30%+ on capital.
- Buffett has complete faith in Greg Abel as successor, which allows him to plan to distribute all his Berkshire shares within eight years after his death.
- He says today's speculative market makes finding value difficult, echoing his long-held criticism of gambling over investing.
- On Coca-Cola's IRS case, he says any payment won't break the company; on Fed Chair Kevin Warsh, he thinks Warsh is a good choice who cares about the country.
Ideas
Total confidence in Greg Abel as successor
Buffett expresses total confidence in Greg Abel as his successor to run Berkshire Hathaway, stating he does not know many people he would trust with the company. This trust allows him to accelerate share donations because he no longer feels the need to retain voting control through the estate.
AI capex makes Alphabet a likely winner
Buffett believes Alphabet (Google) is more likely to be a winner in AI than most companies hawked by Wall Street. He notes the transition from asset-light software to heavy capex spending on AI infrastructure, and says that although he does not love it as much as his top four or five businesses, the company's record and the current capex game make it a sound large position.
AXP earns 30%+ return on capital
Buffett views American Express as an exceptional business that earns over 30% return on capital, far above the 13-14% earned by most banks, without taking on more risk. He cites it as a classic compounding machine that Berkshire still likes.
Still believe in Apple and Tim Cook
Buffett remains a firm believer in Apple under Tim Cook, calling Cook an irreplaceable leader. He acknowledges that competitors are always attacking, but his conviction in the business remains strong and he still holds it as Berkshire's largest position.
