"Billionaire Timothy Mellon may keep a low profile, but he donates substantial amounts to players in Washington. Now, he has just been identified by The New York Times as the anonymous donor of the $130 million to help pay troops during the federal government shutdown. As the U.S. government shutdown approaches its 29th day, President Donald Trump turned to the banking heir to help ensure the hundreds of thousands of service members, including members of the military, are paid."
"Since 2020, he has reportedly poured $227 million into federal candidates and political committees, nearly all Republicans. And last year, Mellon made a $50 million donation to MAGA Inc., the super PAC supporting Trump's bid. It was one of the largest individual contributions ever made public. According to the Congressional Budget Office, Trump's administration's 2025 budget requested about $600 billion in total military compensation. A $130 million donation would equal about $100 per service member-though it's still unknown how the money will be distributed among them. Plus, critics note that the sum would have covered the salaries of America's 1.3 million active service members for less than a day."
Timothy Mellon, an 83-year-old banking heir and descendant of Andrew and Thomas Mellon, provided $130 million to help pay service members during an extended federal shutdown. Mellon emerged as a political megadonor in 1996 and later contributed $350,000 to Bush, McCain, and Romney. Since 2020 he has reportedly given $227 million to primarily Republican candidates and committees, including a $50 million gift to MAGA Inc. The $130 million equals roughly $100 per service member and, critics note, would cover less than a day of pay for 1.3 million active personnel. Mellon shifted from earlier support for liberal social initiatives to conservative positions and criticism of large federal welfare programs.
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