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President Donald Trump said Thursday that a wealthy private donor has contributed $130 million to the U.S. government to help ensure military service members continue receiving pay during the ongoing government shutdown.
Speaking at a White House event, the president described the contributor as a patriot and a “friend of mine,” but did not reveal the person’s identity.
“He called us the other day and said, ‘I’d like to contribute any shortfall you have because of the Democrat shutdown … because I love the military and I love the country,’” President Trump said.
The administration has faced growing pressure to protect military paychecks amid the budget standoff, which began Oct. 1 after Congress failed to pass new funding legislation. Disagreements over healthcare subsidies have stalled negotiations, leaving much of the federal government partially closed.
Earlier this month, Trump signed an executive order authorizing the Pentagon to redirect unused research funds to maintain military salaries. But House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said that move is only a temporary measure and warned that troops could face missed paychecks if Congress does not reach a deal soon.
The White House did not disclose details of how the $130 million contribution will be administered or whether it will fully cover upcoming pay periods for active-duty personnel.
As RSBN previously reported, Senate Democrats blocked a Republican-backed bill last week that would have funded the Pentagon for a full year.
The vote was 50-44, short of the 60 votes needed to advance the measure in the 100-member Senate. Nearly all Republicans supported the bill, while all but three Democrats voted against it.
Democrats said they opposed moving forward with military funding without also passing money for domestic programs such as healthcare and housing.
“It’s always been unacceptable to Democrats to do the defense bill without other bills that have so many things that are important to the American people in terms of healthcare, in terms of housing, in terms of safety,” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York told reporters before the vote.
