Legal experts are now trying to claim that the Trump administration is not allowed, amid the government shutdown, to pay U.S. troops with the money that it has received from a private donor. 

This, according to Newsmax, comes after the Pentagon received a $130 million donation to pay troops amid the government shutdown from a wealthy "friend of President Donald Trump.

The donor has since been identified as Timothy Mellon, the grandson of former Treasury Secretary Andrew W. Mellon. Trump and Mellon were hoping to keep his name anonymous, but, as we will see, it has gotten out.

🚨 BREAKING: President Trump reveals an anonymous billionaire has just sent in a check for $130 MILLION to keep paying our troops

Trump says the person doesn’t want to be named or recognized

What a PATRIOT! 🇺🇸

Who is it? @elonmusk? Maybe @rookisaacman? pic.twitter.com/0ZdEaFED3m

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) October 23, 2025

Background

The $130 million donation was announced towards the end of last week.

Breitbart News reports:

The Pentagon confirmed the contribution Friday, with spokesman Sean Parnell stating that “the Department of War accepted an anonymous donation of $130 million under its general gift acceptance authority.” He added that the money was provided “on the condition that it be used to offset the cost of service members’ salaries and benefits.”

Initially, President Trump only identified the donor as a "patriot" and a "friend," who wanted to remain anonymous.

It did not take long, however, for Mellon to be identified as the anonymous donor.

The Daily Caller reports:

Timothy Mellon, grandson of former Treasury Secretary Andrew W. Mellon, provided the funds anonymously, according to two people familiar with the matter, The New York Times reported. President Trump announced the donation Thursday night but refused to name the donor, calling him only a “patriot” and a friend.

Are the funds off limits?

This is what some legal experts are trying to claim.

The Federal News Network reported:

The Defense Department has received an anonymous $130 million donation to fund military salaries amid the ongoing government shutdown, but legal experts warn the Pentagon cannot legally use the funds without congressional approval.

As mentioned, the Trump administration is trying to claim that it can accept the donation under the Pentagon's "general gift acceptance authority."

The Federal News Network, however, reports:

David Super, the Carmack Waterhouse professor of law and economics at Georgetown University Law Center, said while Congress has given the government a broad authority to accept gifts, spending those funds without congressional appropriation would be unconstitutional and a violation of the Antideficiency Act.

We'll have to see how this one plays out.