A mystery donor has provided $130 million to the US military to cover troop salaries during the current government shutdown, with the benefactor later revealed as billionaire Timothy Mellon, a major financial backer of former President Donald Trump. This unprecedented private contribution aims to alleviate financial strain on approximately 1.3 million active-duty service members amid the budgetary impasse.
The government shutdown, now in its 25th day, has left many federal workers furloughed or working without pay, including military personnel. Last week, the Trump administration managed to pay troops by reallocating $8 billion from military research funds, but uncertainty loomed over the next payday scheduled for October 31. The donation, accepted by the Pentagon under its “general gift acceptance authority,” is conditioned solely on offsetting service members’ salaries and benefits.
President Trump first hinted at the donation on Thursday, praising the anonymous donor as a “great gentleman” and “patriot” who sought no publicity. By Saturday, the New York Times identified the donor as Timothy Mellon, an 80-year-old heir to the Mellon family fortune and a reclusive figure who has recently become a significant political donor. Mellon contributed over $165 million to Republican causes in the 2024 election cycle, including $125 million to a Super PAC supporting Trump.
The donation has raised immediate ethical and legal questions. Critics, including Democratic Senator Chris Coons, argue that accepting anonymous funds for military pay could compromise national security and set a dangerous precedent. Potential violations of the Antideficiency Act, which prohibits federal agencies from spending beyond congressional appropriations, are under scrutiny, with penalties ranging from fines to imprisonment.
Timothy Mellon’s background includes a career in the railroad industry and a history of anti-tax advocacy. His wealth, estimated between $700 million and $4 billion, stems from the Mellon family’s gilded age industrial legacy. In recent years, he has donated large sums to various causes, including $53 million to Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s border wall fund and support for anti-vaccine groups.
Trump’s embrace of the donation highlights the political dimensions of the shutdown. While the president lauds Mellon’s patriotism, opponents view it as an end-run around congressional authority. The funds, amounting to roughly $100 per service member, provide temporary relief but do not address the underlying funding crisis or the broader impacts of the shutdown on other government functions.
As the shutdown persists, becoming one of the longest in US history, the focus shifts to whether Congress can reach a funding deal. The donation may ease immediate pressures on military families, but it underscores the unusual measures being taken to sustain government operations. Legal experts and lawmakers are likely to continue debating the propriety of private funding for public military expenses in the coming days.