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Trump 'Friend' Who Gave $130 Million For Military Pay Is Billionaire Timothy Mellon: Report

The anonymous donor and friend of President Donald Trump who donated millions to help pay the U.S. military amid the government shutdown is billionaire Timothy Mellon, according to a new report from the New York Times.

Trump first announced the $130 million donation on Thursday, saying the giver did not want to be named. The president described the donor as a “friend of mine” and a “patriot.”

The Department of Defense accepted the money “on the condition that it be used offset the cost of service members’ salaries and benefits,” Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said. Defense budget analyst Todd Harrison told Politico that the sum would cover about a third of one day’s pay for all active-duty service members.

Politics: DOD Accepts $130 Million From Trump's 'Friend' For Military Pay During Shutdown

On Saturday, The New York Times identified the mysterious donor as Mellon, a billionaire banking and railroad heir, citing “two people familiar with the matter.” Mellon gave $50 million to a pro-Trump super PAC during the 2024 presidential race.

Timothy Mellon, seen here in 1981, was named by The New York Times as the wealthy heir who donated $130 million to the Department of Defense.

Legal experts have warned that the $130 million donation may be a violation of the Antideficiency Act, which bars federal agencies from spending funds that haven’t been appropriated by Congress.