As the government shutdown reached its fourth week, frustration and uncertainty escalated nationwide. Hundreds of thousands of federal employees went without paychecks, and vital services began to deteriorate. In the midst of this chaos, President Donald Trump revealed that an anonymous “patriot” had contributed $130 million to assist with military salaries.
The New York Times subsequently identified the benefactor as Timothy Mellon, a private billionaire from one of America’s wealthiest families, although neither the White House nor Mellon verified this information. The donation, reportedly channeled through a nonprofit organization that supports military families, offered temporary relief to ensure that service members would not miss their paychecks.
Trump lauded it as an exceptional act of generosity, yet legal experts raised concerns about whether accepting the funds under the Pentagon’s “general gift acceptance authority” could contravene the Anti-Deficiency Act, which forbids federal agencies from utilizing funds not sanctioned by Congress.
Senator Chris Coons, D-Del., expressed apprehensions regarding the anonymity of the donation, cautioning that such contributions could pave the way for foreign influence over U.S. military personnel. “Utilizing anonymous donations to finance our military poses serious questions,” his office stated in a release.
Campaign finance specialist Anna Massoglia informed CBS News that Timothy Mellon, previously a relatively obscure donor, had recently ascended to the upper echelons of U.S. political contributors. His increasing influence has attracted scrutiny from both watchdog organizations and legislators.
In a statement, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell confirmed that the donation was intended to alleviate the expenses associated with service members’ salaries and benefits, remarking, “We are thankful for this donor’s support after Democrats chose to withhold pay from troops.”
Despite this gesture, the $130 million only addresses a small portion of the $6.5 billion required biweekly for military payroll.
With Congress still in a stalemate, the prospects for military funding — and the shutdown itself — remain unclear.
