Billionaire Trump Ally Timothy Mellon Donates $130M to Pentagon to Pay Troops Amid Government Shutdown

During a prolonged U.S. government shutdown, the Pentagon confirmed it accepted a $130 million anonymous private donation under its general gift authority to help cover troop pay.

“During the government shutdown, numerous federal employees have been furloughed or required to work without pay”

BBC

This was an unprecedented or rare step away from exclusive reliance on congressional appropriations.

BBC

Multiple outlets report the donor is widely believed to be Timothy Mellon, a reclusive billionaire and longtime Trump ally, after The New York Times identified him via anonymous sources.

Officials have not publicly confirmed the donor's name.

President Donald Trump praised the donor as a patriot as lawmakers demanded details about the money and its use.

Some coverage notes the gift would amount to roughly $100 per service member and cannot by itself resolve payroll pressures created by the shutdown.

Coverage differs on whether the Pentagon can legally use private money to pay salaries.

Fox News cites legal experts who say federal law requires congressional appropriations for troop pay.

South China Morning Post

Current regulations allow private funds only for military institutions or to aid wounded or fallen service members.

Therefore, using the donation for salaries would require congressional action.

Other outlets, like NewsLooks and The Guardian, warn the move likely violates or may violate the Antideficiency Act.

Local radio station KFI reports that accessing the funds may require Congress’s approval.

The BBC adds that donations over $10,000 must undergo an ethics review.

It also notes that donations from non-U.S. sources receive extra scrutiny, highlighting compliance challenges beyond the political debate.

How far does $130 million go? Outlets agree the gift covers only a small fraction of what’s needed.

Rolling Out notes a single military pay cycle costs about $6.5 billion, making $130 million roughly 2%.

An $8 billion amount had already been shifted from research funds to cover costs.

Sky News similarly reports $6.5 billion was used, including $8 billion diverted from research and development, and raises ethical concerns over the anonymous gift.

ABC News estimates the shutdown could cost around $6.8 billion if it is prolonged.

Federal News Network emphasizes that the donation is only a small portion of the billions required.

Voz.us provides detailed timing: the gift was accepted on October 23 but still left a multibillion-dollar gap for the October 30 payday.

Business Insider notes that mid-October paychecks went out using leftover funds, highlighting the patchwork nature of stopgap measures.

Who is the donor, and how is it framed politically?

Several outlets report, citing the New York Times, that the donor is billionaire Timothy Mellon.

The Killeen Daily Herald

Trump publicly lauded the donor as a “patriot,” while officials have avoided formally naming him.

Straight Arrow News and Newsweek both attribute Mellon’s identification to anonymous New York Times sources.

The New York Post echoes that and quotes Trump praising Mellon.

CNN stresses the lack of official confirmation and the administration’s deflection of questions to the Pentagon and Treasury.

In contrast, Fox News earlier noted speculation about Elon Musk or Jared Isaacman before the New York Times reporting.

The Age stands out for a conflicting line suggesting the money was reportedly from Trump himself.

Multiple outlets report that the lack of notification and the size of a gift have raised calls for transparency and ethics review.

“President Donald Trump this week announced that defense officials accepted a $130 million donation to help pay military salaries during the government shutdown”

Straight Arrow News

Mint states that the White House, Pentagon, and Treasury provided few details and did not inform lawmakers about the donation.

Straight Arrow News

BBC notes that ethics officials are required to review donations exceeding $10,000 and to scrutinize sources from outside the U.S.

The Killeen Daily Herald and Federal News Network both mention that Pentagon rules mandate ethics consultations for large gifts.

Some coverage takes unusual or off-topic angles on the issue.

The US Sun describes former President Trump directing 'Secretary of War Pete Hegseth' to allocate research and development funds.

The Daily Beast highlights a lawmaker's claim linking the government shutdown to politics related to Epstein files.

Brisbane Times places the donation within the context of a broader regional military escalation.

Asian coverage from South China Morning Post emphasizes the political optics of using individual donations and warns of potential legal issues.