The mystery billionaire who gave $130 million to cover U.S. military salaries during the government shutdown has been identified as oil heir Timothy Mellon.
President Donald Trump announced the anonymous donation on Thursday, calling the donor a “great American citizen” who stepped up to help the nation’s troops.
Trump said the contribution was made out of “love for the military and love for the country,” describing the donor as a man who wanted no attention or recognition.
“He called us the other day and said he’d like to contribute any shortfall we had because of the Democrat shutdown,” Trump told reporters. “He didn’t want his name mentioned, which is rare in politics.”
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell later confirmed that the Department of War had received the $130 million payment to ensure service members continued to receive pay during the shutdown.
Speculation about the donor’s identity spread quickly across Washington until the New York Times revealed it was Mellon, citing two sources familiar with the transaction.
Mellon, 83, comes from one of America’s richest families and has largely avoided the spotlight for decades.
His lineage traces back to Thomas Mellon, an Irish immigrant who arrived in the United States in 1818 and built a real estate and banking empire.
Mellon’s grandfather, Andrew Mellon, was a major early investor in companies such as Alcoa and Gulf Oil and served as Treasury Secretary during the 1920s.
Forbes listed the Mellon family’s fortune at more than $14 billion earlier this year, ranking them among America’s wealthiest dynasties, per the Daily Mail.
Timothy Mellon’s own net worth has been estimated at around $1 billion, though he has disputed that figure, telling Forbes that he “never have been, never will be” a billionaire.
While Mellon has typically avoided public politics, he has become a major donor in recent years, supporting President Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The $130 million donation has raised questions over whether the federal government can legally allocate the funds as intended.
Under Defense Department rules, any contribution exceeding $10,000 must undergo an ethics review before being used. Congress also holds authority over how federal budgets are distributed, including military pay.
Despite those hurdles, officials say the donation helped prevent financial strain on thousands of troops during the shutdown.
Mellon’s decision to give such a massive amount privately is being seen as a show of patriotism during a time of political gridlock.
Trump praised him for acting when Democrats in Congress refused to negotiate.
White House aides called the gesture a “symbol of American spirit,” noting that no other private citizen in modern history has contributed that much directly to the U.S. military.
Mellon, who rarely gives interviews, has not commented publicly since being identified as the donor.
His gift has drawn widespread praise across social media, where many hailed him as “America’s most patriotic billionaire.”
