The billionaire behind the unprecedented $130 million donation to the US government to pay military salaries during the federal shutdown has been identified as Timothy Mellon, a reclusive heir to one of America’s oldest fortunes and a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump. Two people familiar with the matter confirmed Mellon’s identity after Trump publicly praised the anonymous donor as a “patriot” and “great American citizen”, the New York Times reported.
Mellon, 82, is the grandson of former Treasury Secretary Andrew W. Mellon, a Gilded Age financier who helped shape US economic policy a century ago. Though long known for his wealth, Timothy Mellon has largely avoided the public spotlight—emerging only in recent years as one of Trump’s most generous political backers.
Trump hails donor, but keeps name private
Announcing the contribution Thursday night, Trump said the money would help ensure troops received pay despite the shutdown, which has left more than 1.3 million active-duty service members waiting for salaries. “He doesn’t want publicity,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Friday, calling the donor “a substantial man” and “a true patriot.”
The White House declined to comment, and Mellon could not be reached for confirmation. People close to him described the donation as consistent with his long-held admiration for the military and his belief in private solutions to public problems.
How far the money goes
While the donation is the largest of its kind in US history, its reach is limited. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the 2025 defence budget includes roughly $600 billion in total military compensation. Mellon’s $130 million, though symbolic, would cover about $100 per active-duty service member—a gesture more than a fix for the broader crisis.
Still, it carries powerful political overtones, highlighting Trump’s ability to mobilize private wealth to soften the public fallout of a shutdown under his watch.
A billionaire with quiet influence
Mellon, known for his libertarian politics and privacy, has been a key financier of conservative causes, giving hundreds of millions to pro-Trump super PACs in recent years. He has previously funded border wall initiatives and Republican campaigns, earning a reputation as one of the GOP’s most consequential yet least visible donors.
Though Mellon rarely speaks publicly, his financial support has helped sustain Trump’s movement through multiple controversies and election cycles. His latest donation underscores how deeply aligned his fortune remains with Trump’s political legacy—and how blurred the lines between public policy and private patronage have become in Washington.
A symbolic act with lasting implications
The donation may help ease short-term tensions between the Pentagon and the White House, but it raises questions about precedent: should private citizens be allowed to fund core government obligations? For now, Trump appears content to celebrate it as proof of patriotic
generosity. “We hope the shutdown won’t last long,” he said. “But this gift shows that great Americans step up when needed.”
The billionaire behind the unprecedented $130 million donation to the US government to pay military salaries during the federal shutdown has been identified as Timothy Mellon, a reclusive heir to one of America’s oldest fortunes and a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump. Two people familiar with the matter confirmed Mellon’s identity after Trump publicly praised the anonymous donor as a “patriot” and “great American citizen”, the New York Times reported.
Mellon, 82, is the grandson of former Treasury Secretary Andrew W. Mellon, a Gilded Age financier who helped shape US economic policy a century ago. Though long known for his wealth, Timothy Mellon has largely avoided the public spotlight—emerging only in recent years as one of Trump’s most generous political backers.
Trump hails donor, but keeps name private
Announcing the contribution Thursday night, Trump said the money would help ensure troops received pay despite the shutdown, which has left more than 1.3 million active-duty service members waiting for salaries. “He doesn’t want publicity,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Friday, calling the donor “a substantial man” and “a true patriot.”
The White House declined to comment, and Mellon could not be reached for confirmation. People close to him described the donation as consistent with his long-held admiration for the military and his belief in private solutions to public problems.
How far the money goes
While the donation is the largest of its kind in US history, its reach is limited. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the 2025 defence budget includes roughly $600 billion in total military compensation. Mellon’s $130 million, though symbolic, would cover about $100 per active-duty service member—a gesture more than a fix for the broader crisis.
Still, it carries powerful political overtones, highlighting Trump’s ability to mobilize private wealth to soften the public fallout of a shutdown under his watch.
A billionaire with quiet influence
Mellon, known for his libertarian politics and privacy, has been a key financier of conservative causes, giving hundreds of millions to pro-Trump super PACs in recent years. He has previously funded border wall initiatives and Republican campaigns, earning a reputation as one of the GOP’s most consequential yet least visible donors.
Though Mellon rarely speaks publicly, his financial support has helped sustain Trump’s movement through multiple controversies and election cycles. His latest donation underscores how deeply aligned his fortune remains with Trump’s political legacy—and how blurred the lines between public policy and private patronage have become in Washington.
A symbolic act with lasting implications
The donation may help ease short-term tensions between the Pentagon and the White House, but it raises questions about precedent: should private citizens be allowed to fund core government obligations? For now, Trump appears content to celebrate it as proof of patriotic
generosity. “We hope the shutdown won’t last long,” he said. “But this gift shows that great Americans step up when needed.”
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