Reclusive Trump ally's donation sparks legal debate over federal spending rules

U.S. media reported on the 25th that the anonymous friend of former President Donald Trump, who donated $130 million (approximately 187.2 billion Korean won) to support U.S. military salaries during the government shutdown caused by Congress's failure to pass the budget bill, has been revealed to be billionaire Timothy Mellon.

Former President Trump first disclosed the donation on the 23rd, stating that the donor did not wish to reveal their identity. Trump said, "He is a patriot and my friend. He does not want his name to be known. It is rare in the political world."

However, The New York Times reported that the anonymous donor is Timothy Mellon, the grandson of financier and former Treasury Secretary Andrew Mellon and an heir to a railroad and financial conglomerate. The Department of Defense stated, "The donation was accepted on the condition that it would be used to cover the salaries and welfare costs of service members."

According to defense budget experts, $130 million corresponds to approximately one-third of the daily salary for the entire active-duty U.S. military force (approximately 1.3 million personnel). The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) previously announced that the Trump administration had requested approximately $600 billion for the fiscal 2025 defense budget.

Mellon has been a major financial supporter of former President Trump for many years. He spent over $165 million during the 2024 election period to support Republican candidates, with approximately $125 million donated to a Super PAC supporting Trump.

He resides in Wyoming and is known as a reclusive billionaire who avoids media exposure. However, he is very active in political donations and was recently reported to have donated millions of dollars not only to Trump but also to the presidential campaign of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the anti-vaccine organization he operates.

In his 2015 autobiography, Mellon introduced himself as "a liberal who moved to Wyoming for lower taxes" and gained attention for controversial racial remarks criticizing social welfare policies for Black people.

Former President Trump avoided mentioning Mellon's name, stating, "He is a great American citizen and a wonderful person," but it was ultimately revealed that the donor behind this large-scale donation is a long-time financial supporter of Trump.

This donation has also sparked legal controversy. Some legal experts have raised the possibility of violating the Antideficiency Act, which prohibits federal agencies from receiving or spending funds without congressional approval.

As the shutdown has exceeded three weeks, the federal government has taken temporary measures to support some agency personnel through "non-traditional methods." Former President Trump promised to pay salaries to essential personnel, including military personnel, immigration enforcement officers, and law enforcement officers, without congressional approval, and early this month, he signed an executive order to reallocate unused funds from the Department of Defense's research and development budget for salary payments.

However, these measures are merely stopgap solutions. It is known that approximately 670,000 federal employees are on forced leave, and about 730,000 continue to work without pay.

Trump's $130M Military Donor: Billionaire Timothy Mellon