Timothy Mellon, a private billionaire known for his support of Donald Trump, has been revealed as the anonymous contributor behind the $130 million donation meant to assist U.S. military personnel during the ongoing government shutdown.
This substantial donation was made as the shutdown stretches into its fourth week, prompting a request from the Department of the Army for help in covering salaries and benefits for active-duty military members. Two sources with knowledge of the donationidentified Mellon as the donor. He is the heir to the Mellon Bank legacy and a significant supporter of Trump’s political endeavors.
Initially, President Trumpannounced the donation on Thursday, characterizing the donor as a “patriot” who chose to remain anonymous. On Friday, while speaking to reporters on Air Force One, Trump reiterated that the donor wished to keep a low profile, stating he “does not want publicity” and “prefers not to be mentioned.”
The Pentagon confirmed that the donation was received on Friday, with spokesman Sean Parnell explaining that “The Department of the Army accepted an anonymous donation of $130 million under its general gift-acceptance authority.” He added the funds were specifically meant to help cover costs related to military salaries and benefits.
Mellon, who primarily operates in Wyoming, is the grandson of former Treasury Secretary Andrew W. Mellon. He has been noted as one of the most influential political donors in the U.S. Although he maintained a low profile for many years, he has, recently, become one of Trump’s major financial supporters, contributing tens of millions to pro-Trump super PACs. Last year, his $50 million donation to these committees was among the largest ever recorded.
The Trump administration has implemented various measures to ensure that military and law enforcement personnel continue receiving their pay during the government shutdown, which began on October 1 after Senate Democrats declined a clean funding resolution. On October 15, President Trump directed Secretary of the Army Pete Hegseth to work with the Office of Management and Budget to find funds to ensure soldiers are compensated, labeling any failure to do so as “unacceptable.”
As previously reported by Breitbart News, the administration also committed to maintaining pay for employees at the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem mentioned earlier this month that despite Congressional stalemate, “over 70,000 sworn law enforcement officers” would receive their full back payments.
The Department of Defense accepted Mellon’s donation becauseit is a first of its kind in modern history. Yet, some budget officials have raised concerns that private donations for military salaries might contradict the Anti-Deficiency Act, which restricts government agencies from overspending beyond Congressional allocations.
Thus far, the donation has offered temporary support to over 1.3 million active-duty military personnel affected by the shutdown. Meanwhile, Congress has not yet managed to formulate a resolution to reopen the government amid growing pressure on military families and civil defense workers.
President Trump again praised the donor’s actions on Friday, declaring, “He’s a great American citizen. He’s a solid man who loves his country and the military.”
