The Pentagon confirmed Thursday that it reportedly accepted an extraordinary anonymous donation of $130 million to shore up military pay as the federal government shutdown continues — a move made necessary, officials say, after Democrats blocked efforts to ensure service members continue receiving paychecks.
“On October 23, 2025, the Department of War accepted an anonymous donation of $130 million under its general gift acceptance authority. The donation was made on the condition that it be used to offset the cost of Service members’ salaries and benefits,” Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said in a statement. “We are grateful for this donor’s assistance after Democrats opted to withhold pay from troops.”
The donor’s identity remains unknown. President Donald Trump, who has insisted that troops should not bear the brunt of a Washington budget impasse, addressed the development from the White House. He described the contributor as a “friend,” adding, “That’s what I call a patriot,” and noting the individual “doesn’t really want the recognition.”
Ordinarily, the Pentagon relies solely on government appropriations for such funding. But Senate Democrats on Thursday rejected legislative efforts that would have avoided the current crisis.
In a 54–45 vote, Democrats blocked the Shutdown Fairness Act of 2025, introduced by Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, which would have guaranteed pay for active-duty service members and other essential workers. Johnson, in turn, blocked a Democratic proposal that would have restored pay for all federal workers during the shutdown.
Without action from Congress, the next regularly scheduled payday for U.S. troops looms on Oct. 30. Officials caution that this private windfall represents only a fraction of what is required to maintain payroll.
Earlier this month, Trump directed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to tap $8 billion in previously approved research and development funds to cover mid-October salaries. That maneuver allowed the Pentagon to issue paychecks but left just $1.5 billion remaining for the end-of-month cycle — a small portion of the $6 to $7 billion needed for the Oct. 31 payday, according to Todd Harrison, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.
With an estimated shortfall of up to $5.5 billion, the Pentagon faces another difficult scramble to protect service members from the consequences of legislative deadlock.
Ethics rules require scrutiny of any Pentagon donation exceeding $10,000 to ensure that the donor holds no interests tied to claims, procurement, or litigation involving the department. While foreign gifts may be accepted under limited circumstances, they cannot be directed to benefit specific individuals.
Senator Johnson emphasized that the administration’s ability to reallocate funds is not limitless. “Trump only has so much latitude,” he told reporters. “There’s only so many pots of money that he has the authority. He’s not a king, you know, he only has so much authority.”
For now, the unusual infusion of private support stands as a testament both to the country’s willingness to support its troops — and to a political stalemate that has left paychecks for the nation’s service members hanging in the balance.
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