Donor Reported as Timothy Mellon in $130M Gift

The Pentagon has accepted an anonymous $130 million gift to help pay service members amid the ongoing U.S. government shutdown after President Trump said a “friend” offered the money but declined to name the donor. The New York Times and other outlets have identified the donor as reclusive billionaire Timothy Mellon, a major backer of Mr. Trump who has also given tens of millions to MAGA super PACs and supported Robert F. Kennedy Jr., though the White House has not formally confirmed the identity. The Pentagon said it accepted the donation under its general gift-acceptance authority and that the funds were conditioned to be used to offset service members’ salaries and benefits. The gift represents only a small fraction of the billions needed to cover military pay during the shutdown, and the administration has already shifted significant internal funds — including repurposed research money — to meet payroll. Ethical, legal and transparency concerns have been raised about using private funds to finance government payrolls and whether congressional action will be required to distribute the donation.