Pentagon Received $130 Million Anonymous Donation To Pay Troops
The White House has moved to fire federal workers and slash funding for projects in areas governed by Democrats, which have drawn legal challenges.
The Pentagon said it received an anonymous $130 million donation to pay the military during the US government shutdown, a move the administration might not legally be able to carry out.
“On October 23, 2025, the Department of War accepted an anonymous donation of $130 million under its general gift acceptance authority,” Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell said Friday in a statement. “The donation was made on the condition that it be used to offset the cost of Service members’ salaries and benefits.”
The donation is President Donald Trump’s latest maneuver to seize greater control of government functions amid the shutdown, which has stretched into its fourth week. The White House has moved to fire federal workers and slash funding for projects in areas governed by Democrats, which have drawn legal challenges.
Attempting to pay US military troops during the shutdown could prove to be politically popular — and also highlight congressional Democrats’ refusal to approve a government spending bill. But federal law generally forbids individuals from making earmarked gifts to the government.
While individuals can make unconditional gifts to the US Treasury, they’re credited to the general fund or used to pay down the national debt. The money can’t be spent without a congressional appropriation — and it’s that lack of an appropriation that has shut down the government.
Trump on Thursday said that an unnamed “friend” of his wrote a check for $130 million to pay for shortfalls within the military. Federal civilian employees and military service members generally aren’t paid during the shutdown. Nonetheless, Trump earlier this month directed the Pentagon to find any available funds to pay the troops.
There are exceptions to federal restrictions on the government accepting donations. The National Park Service is one, allowing Trump to accept donations to fund his renovations to the White House, which sits in a national park. And under laws dating to 1956, the military also has limited authority to accept private donations — but only for two specific purposes: to support military schools, hospitals, libraries, museums, cemeteries and similar institutions, and to help service members and civilian employees who are wounded or killed in the line of duty, and their families.
The $130 million total would only cover a small portion of the payroll for the nation’s roughly 1.3 million active-duty military members.
