WASHINGTON: A mysterious benefactor had contributed $130 million to the Pentagon to ensure that US service members are paid during the ongoing government shutdown, raising questions about ethics and transparency. His anonymity trended on social media across the United States along with rest of the world, but now that donor has been identified. Meet billionaire Timothy Mellon, heir to a $15 billion family fortune and a known political supporter of Trump!
‘MEANINGFUL’ DONATION
A report by BBC said that earlier officials had confirmed the donation, which President Donald Trump said will cover shortfalls in salaries for the country’s 1.32 million troops, but the donor’s identity was initially withheld. Trump offered limited details, noting that the contributor is a US citizen and “a big supporter” of his.
The shutdown, now in its 25th day, began after Congress failed to approve a federal funding agreement. Last week, the administration temporarily funded military payrolls by reallocating $8 billion from research programs, but it remains uncertain how the next payday on October 31 will be managed.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the funds were donated with the condition that they be used exclusively for service members’ pay and benefits. He added that the donation complies with the department’s “general gift acceptance authority,” which permits certain contributions under federal rules.
Trump described the donor as “a great gentleman, a patron, a patriot and a wonderful man” who prefers to remain anonymous. “He put up $130 million to make sure the military got paid,” Trump said, emphasizing that the individual does not seek publicity.
MELLON’S GIFT GIVING HISTORY
Timothy Mellon has previously donated $50 million to groups backing the former president. While the Pentagon occasionally accepts gifts for projects like schools, hospitals, museums, or cemeteries, large cash donations for salaries are highly unusual. Donations exceeding $10,000 must undergo ethics review to ensure the donor has no conflicts of interest with the Department of Defense.
The gift has drawn scrutiny from lawmakers, including Senator Chris Coons, who questioned whether relying on private funds to pay troops could compromise military integrity.
Prior to this, Trump’s campaign finance data reported by OpenSecrets show that Mellon contributed over $165 million to back Donald Trump, Robert F Kennedy Jr, and other Republican candidates during the 2024 election cycle. This total includes $125 million directed to the pro-Trump super PAC, Make America Great Again Inc.
Mellon has also provided funding to Kennedy’s Children’s Health Defense, an organization noted for its contentious anti-vaccine positions. Outside of federal elections, he attracted attention in 2021 with a $53 million donation to Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s initiative to construct a border wall.
A PEEK INSIDE MELLON’S NET WORTH
Timothy Mellon’s personal net worth remains highly uncertain, with estimates ranging from $700 million to $4.2 billion. In a 2014 deposition, Mellon pegged his wealth at $700 million, while later reports, including from the London Times, suggested around $1 billion, and some sources speculate it could be closer to $4.2 billion.
The difficulty in determining his exact wealth stems from both his privacy and the complexity of the Mellon family holdings, which include banking, industry, and startup investments tracing back to Andrew Mellon’s original empire. Friends and associates note that Mellon deliberately keeps his financial details private, a rarity among the ultra-wealthy.
The Mellon family fortune as a whole remains one of the largest in the US, built on banking, steel, oil, and early-stage investments. Andrew Mellon’s tenure as Treasury Secretary cemented both financial and political influence, and the family’s wealth today is estimated at $14 billion, with Timothy as one of its most prominent heirs.
Unlike his many wealthy peers, he maintains a low public profile, residing primarily in Wyoming and rarely speaking publicly.