Pentagon Accepted $130M Anonymous Donation During Shutdown

The Pentagon accepted an anonymous $130 million donation under its general gift acceptance authority to be used to offset service members’ salaries during the ongoing U.S. government shutdown, a move President Trump touted and called the donor a “patriot.” The contribution amounts to roughly $100 per active-duty service member — less than a day’s pay — and will not meaningfully cover long-term payroll needs. Legal experts and Democratic lawmakers warned the payment may violate the Antideficiency Act and the Constitution’s appropriations clause because private gifts generally cannot substitute for funds Congress must appropriate. Sen. Chris Coons and other critics raised concerns about propriety and potential foreign influence; the Pentagon would not disclose whether the donor is domestic or foreign, and large gifts trigger additional ethics review. The donation follows other stopgap measures, including redirected Defense R&D funds and assurances of foreign payments for troops abroad, as congressional efforts to secure lasting pay protections have so far failed.