I think his bridge troll ex-wife got him started down this path (she is insufferably woke, arrogant and entitled) with her quest to win the Nobel.

The Federal government had already taken the fun out of his one true passion - growing his company. He could no longer compete like he used to. He had become Tiger Woods with his gimpy legs and cracked back.

Once Bill turned toward philanthropy, all of a sudden the same news, entertainment, and government entities that had been demonizing him for decades were blowing smoke up his ass. It created a hell of a positive feedback loop, especially for an obsessive competitor (seriously, read about his childhood) who was also, paradoxically, still considered a "loser" at the time as far as his public image was concerned.

Thus Saint Bill of Davos was born.