The mystery figure behind the staggering $130 million donation intended to help pay U.S. troops during the ongoing government shutdown has been revealed as Timothy Mellon, a wealthy heir and longtime supporter of President Donald Trump, according to reporting by The New York Times.
The contribution, initially announced without attribution by the White House, is already igniting legal scrutiny and political backlash across Washington.
President Trump, who praised the anonymous donor last week as a “great patriot” and a “friend of mine,” confirmed only that the individual wanted no attention. “And he’s a big supporter of mine,” the president said Friday. “He’s a wonderful man, and he doesn’t want publicity.”
The Times identified Mellon, a railroad magnate and descendant of the famous Gilded Age banking family, as the source of the unprecedented donation. Mellon, who has an estimated net worth near $1 billion, previously brushed off the billionaire label, writing in a 2024 email, “Billionaire NOT! … Never have been, never will be.”
Although the donation was announced as a lifeline for U.S. service members struggling through the shutdown, the financial reality suggests otherwise. With more than 1.3 million active-duty troops, the Pentagon spends roughly $6.4 billion every two weeks on salaries and military benefits. Mellon’s contribution would amount to barely $100 per service member and cover only a fraction of total payroll obligations.
Worse for the administration, the plan could violate federal law. The Times reported that officials are examining whether using Mellon’s private money would run afoul of the Antideficiency Act — a statute banning federal agencies from spending or obligating funds not appropriated by Congress. If so, the administration could face a serious legal and constitutional challenge, potentially setting up a high-stakes showdown over separation of powers.
Mellon is no stranger to Trump-world politics. He donated $50 million to a Trump super PAC during the 2024 election cycle — one of the biggest single contributions ever reported. His latest gift, however, has fueled deeper concerns in Congress about national security, foreign influence, and the ethics of letting private wealth bankroll government services, especially military pay.
A spokesman for Senator Chris Coons criticized the revelation, warning that the practice could put U.S. forces in jeopardy. “Using anonymous donations to fund our military raises troubling questions of whether our own troops are at risk of literally being bought and paid for by foreign powers,” the spokesman said.
For now, Mellon’s donation sits at the center of a growing storm — one that blends campaign money, military funding, shutdown politics, and billionaire influence. Even if the funds are never spent, the episode has opened a volatile national debate about whether America’s armed forces should ever depend on private donors rather than Congress for their paychecks.
