A few days ago, reports surfaced that an anonymous donor had given the Pentagon $130 million to help pay troops during the government shutdown. Now, the New York Times has identified him: Timothy Mellon, a banking heir and railroad magnate who is a major supporter of President Trump. The president had initially described the donor as a "patriot" and a friend without naming him.
Mellon, the 80-year-old grandson of former Treasury Secretary Andrew W. Mellon, is a "reclusive" figure who lives mostly in Wyoming, according to the Times. He has emerged as a major backer of Trump and the GOP in recent years, with the newspaper putting his contributions in the "hundreds of millions of dollars" range. Mellon also supported Robert F. Kennedy Jr., contributing to Kennedy's presidential campaign and his anti-vaccine organization. Forbes has pegged the railroad magnate's net worth at about $1 billion, though CNBC notes that Mellon has disputed his ranking as a billionaire.
The Pentagon accepted the donation under its general gift authority, specifying the funds were to offset service member compensation. However, the move may skirt the Antideficiency Act, which bars federal agencies from spending money not appropriated by Congress. Either way, the money won't go too far: With more than 1.3 million active-duty troops, Mellon's donation equates to roughly $100 per service member, notes the Times.
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