The mystery donor who wired $130 million to the Pentagon so service members got paid during the government shutdown has been identified as Timothy Mellon, the reclusive billionaire heir and longtime supporter of President Donald Trump, according to a report. The President announced the gift Thursday, praising the donor as a “patriot” and a friend, and kept the name under wraps again Friday aboard Air Force One — because some people still do the right thing without chasing headlines. Shocking, I know.
Two people familiar with the matter told The New York Times the donor is Mellon, a wealthy banking heir and railroad magnate. Trump called him “a great American citizen” and a “substantial man,” adding, “He doesn’t want publicity.” Imagine that — writing a nine-figure check to help troops and not demanding a parade.
It remains unclear how long the donation will cover salaries. The administration’s 2025 budget seeks roughly $600 billion in total military compensation, per the Congressional Budget Office. By NYT’s back-of-the-envelope math, $130 million comes out to about $100 per service member. Not a cure-all, but when Washington is shut down, real Americans step up — and they did.
Mellon — grandson of former Treasury Secretary Andrew W. Mellon — has been a significant backer of Trump, giving tens of millions to groups supporting the President’s 2024 campaign, including a $50 million contribution to a pro-Trump super PAC last year, one of the largest single gifts on record. He has also supported Robert F. Kennedy Jr., donating to Kennedy’s 2024 bid and to Children’s Health Defense, according to the same report. In his 2015 autobiography, Mellon described himself as a former liberal who moved from Connecticut to Wyoming for lower taxes and fewer people — a move that probably won’t be featured in a D.C. tourism brochure.
The Pentagon said it accepted the gift under its “general gift acceptance authority,” with the condition that it be used to offset service members’ salaries and benefits, spokesman Sean Parnell told The New York Times. Some have raised questions about the Antideficiency Act, which limits spending beyond congressional appropriations and voluntary services, noting the donation may present a potential issue. Translation: even paying troops can trigger a paperwork panic in Washington.
Bottom line: while politicians argued, troops got paid. A private citizen stepped in, the Commander-in-Chief applauded, and the mission — taking care of our men and women in uniform — stayed on track. That’s the America we believe in: quiet generosity, strong leadership, and results that matter.
