As the government shutdown entered its fourth week, frustration spread nationwide. Hundreds of thousands of federal workers missed paychecks, and essential services began to falter.
Military families, living paycheck to paycheck, faced mounting financial pressure as food pantries near bases reported surging demand.
Then came an unexpected twist: President Donald Trump announced that an anonymous “patriot” had donated $130 million to cover military pay — calling it “an extraordinary act of generosity.” The donor, later identified by The New York Times as billionaire Timothy Mellon, heir to the Mellon banking fortune, has quietly become a major political player. He’s contributed hundreds of millions to Trump and Republican causes, as well as to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s campaign and organization, Children’s Health Defense.
The Pentagon said the donation, funneled through a nonprofit, was meant to offset troop salaries after Congress withheld funding. Legal experts, however, warned it could violate the Anti-Deficiency Act, which prohibits federal agencies from using unapproved funds.
Sen. Chris Coons and others raised alarms over accepting anonymous money for the military, citing risks of foreign influence.
Despite the headline-grabbing gift, $130 million covers only a fraction of the $6.5 billion needed every two weeks for military pay. Treasury officials warned that without an end to the shutdown, service members may not receive their next paycheck after November 15.