President Donald Trump has revealed that an anonymous donor contributed $130 million to cover military salaries during the ongoing government shutdown, a move that has drawn sharp criticism from legal experts and Democratic lawmakers.
Speaking at a roundtable on Thursday, Trump said his “friend” called to offer the money and subsequently sent a cheque for the full amount. The Department of Defense confirmed it accepted the donation under its general gift acceptance authority, with the condition that it be used for service members' salaries and benefits.
The donation comes as the US endures its second-longest government shutdown, with appropriations for military pay having lapsed on 1 October. Trump earlier ordered Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to use “all available funds” to ensure troops are compensated during the lapse.
Democratic Senator Chris Coons expressed concern that anonymous donations could leave troops “bought and paid for by foreign powers”. Ethics watchdog Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington said the move raised “all sorts of legal and ethical alarms”, while Senator Dick Durbin is investigating whether the gift complies with the Anti-Deficiency Act, which prohibits spending beyond congressional appropriations.
Legal experts also questioned the constitutionality of the arrangement. Matthew Lawrence, a former White House budget official, noted that the Constitution’s Army Clause requires Congress to renew military appropriations every two years, warning that “allowing an army to be supported outside the appropriations process” undermines that safeguard.
In response, a group of Democratic senators introduced the True Shutdown Fairness Act to restart pay for furloughed workers and service members. Troops are due to receive their next pay cheque on 31 October.
