In late October 2025, the Pentagon accepted an anonymous donation of $130 million to cover the salaries of military personnel during the continued government shutdown. donald trump He announced the gift without naming the donor, calling him “a friend” to him and “a great American citizen” who “loves the military and loves the country” while speaking to reporters. Trump also noted that the donor is “a great supporter of [his]”but “he doesn’t want publicity.” Shortly after, The New York Times reported that the mystery donor was Timothy Mellonwho is a member of the famous banking family.
Continue reading to learn more about Timothy and his contributions to the U.S. military.
Timothy Mellon is the grandson of Andrew Mellon
Timothy’s grandfather is the former United States Secretary of the Treasury. Andres Mellon. Andrew was one of the longest-serving Treasury secretaries in American history, serving in his role during the Roaring ’20s as well as the Wall Street Crash of 1929.
What is Timothy Mellon’s net worth?
Timothy has a net worth of around $1 billion, according to Forbes. However, he denied it by writing: “NOT a millionaire! … I have never been one, never will be,” in a 2024 email to the outlet, according to CNBC.
The net worth of the entire Mellon family is estimated to be around $14 billion, according to Forbes.
Breaking News: Timothy Mellon, a banking heir, is said to be the anonymous donor who gave $130 million to the US government to help pay troops during the shutdown. https://t.co/eLAKC5nJv4
– The New York Times (@nytimes) October 25, 2025
Where is Timothy Mellon now?
Timothy maintains a private lifestyle. Despite his apparent financial contributions, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania lived a life out of the public eye.
As Trump told reporters in October 2025, his military donor “doesn’t want publicity.”
“He prefers not to have his name mentioned, which is quite unusual in the world I come from, and in the world of politics, you want your name to be mentioned,” the Republican president added.
Why did Timothy Mellon donate millions to the military?
As noted above, the current government shutdown has impacted federal workersincluding any active duty military member. Timothy’s financial contribution sparked a debate about the legality of such a payment. The donation was accepted under the Pentagon’s “general gift acceptance authority.” However, others have pointed out that it may run afoul of the Antideficiency Act, which restricts agencies from spending beyond payments appropriated by Congress.