Billionaire Timothy Mellon, a reclusive heir to the Mellon fortune, donated $130 million to the US government to help pay troops during the shutdown. Mr. Trump announced the donation but declined to name the donor. The Pentagon accepted the funds under the “general gift acceptance authority.” The donation raises concerns about potential violations of the Antideficiency Act. Mr. Mellon is a longtime backer of President Trump and has given tens of millions of dollars to groups supporting his campaign. He lives in Wyoming and keeps a low profile despite his prolific political spending.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/25/us/politics/timothy-mellon-donation-troops.html