‘Mystery Man’ Donor Behind $130 Million Gift To Pay Troops Identified

The identity of the mystery donor who offered to fund U.S. military paychecks during the ongoing “Schumer Shutdown” has been revealed — and it’s a familiar name to anyone who values American enterprise and patriotism.

According to a New York Times report published Saturday, the anonymous benefactor is Timothy Mellon, an 83-year-old billionaire businessman and heir to the Mellon banking dynasty. Mellon, who lives a quiet life in Wyoming, is the grandson of industrialist and former Treasury Secretary Andrew Mellon — one of the most influential financiers in U.S. history.

President Donald J. Trump had teased earlier in the week that “a friend” who “loves the military and loves the country” had volunteered to cover the cost of service members’ salaries while Senate Democrats continue blocking funding bills.

En route to Asia on Friday night, the President described the donor as “a great gentleman” and “a great patriot.”

“The request for anonymity was pretty unusual in the world I come from,” Trump said. “He just wanted to make sure our troops got paid.”

The White House declined to identify Mellon directly, referring inquiries to the Department of War and the Treasury Department. Neither agency immediately commented on the revelation.

Forbes estimates the Mellon family fortune at roughly $14 billion, a legacy that stretches back to Andrew Mellon’s tenure as Treasury Secretary from 1921 to 1932 — when he helped engineer one of the greatest economic expansions in U.S. history. The family’s name remains tied to the National Gallery of Art and Carnegie Mellon University.

Timothy Mellon has long been a supporter of President Trump’s America First movement. In 2024, he donated $50 million to the pro-Trump super PAC Make America Great Again Inc., just one day after the former president’s politically charged fraud conviction in New York.

Now, Mellon’s latest $130 million contribution — reportedly directed to the Department of War — may be his most consequential act of patriotism yet.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed that the department accepted Mellon’s donation “on the condition that it be used to offset the cost of service members’ salaries and benefits.”

However, Parnell noted that legal review is ongoing, as the Antideficiency Act restricts federal agencies from spending unappropriated funds — even if privately donated — without congressional authorization.

“The donation was made on the condition that it be used to offset the cost of service members’ salaries and benefits,” Parnell reiterated.

Earlier this month, President Trump directed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to “use all available funds to get our troops paid” despite the Democratic-led budget blockade. The Pentagon later confirmed it was temporarily tapping “leftover research and development funds” to maintain payroll.

The Senate, meanwhile, voted 54–45 on Thursday to reject a stand-alone GOP proposal to fund military pay during the shutdown — with every Democrat but one opposing it.

President Trump condemned the move, calling it “disgraceful.”

“Troops should never be used as leverage in a political fight,” Trump said. “I am using my authority as Commander in Chief to direct our Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to use all available funds to get our troops paid on October 15th.”

Even as Washington scrambles to determine how Mellon’s extraordinary donation will be handled legally, his gesture has already reverberated nationwide — hailed by many as a testament to selfless patriotism and support for America’s armed forces.

One senior defense official told The New York Post: “This is the first time in modern history that a private citizen has tried to cover military payroll during a shutdown. It’s uncharted territory.”

While Democrats bicker over budgets and block military pay, one private citizen has done what Washington would not — stand with America’s troops.