The Pentagon has accepted a $130 million donation from what President Donald Trump described as “a friend” to help pay members of the military during the ongoing government shutdown, though the sum will cover only a small fraction of the salaries owed.
Defense Department spokesperson Sean Parnell confirmed Friday that the money was accepted “under its general gift acceptance authority.” Trump first revealed the donation on Thursday, saying the donor “doesn’t really want the recognition.” The Defense Department has not disclosed the identity of the contributor.
The move has raised questions about legality and ethics. Federal rules require donations over $10,000 to undergo review to ensure the donor has no interests that could be influenced by the gift. Critics warned that using private money to fund government operations could violate the Anti Deficiency Act, which bars spending funds not approved by Congress.
“The Antideficiency Act is explicit that private donations cannot be used to offset a lapse in appropriations,” said Bill Hoagland, a former Senate Republican budget aide and senior vice president at the Bipartisan Policy Center. Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois also questioned whether the donation complies with federal law.
According to the White House, the federal government spent $6.5 billion on military pay in the first half of October. Analysts estimate the donation would cover about one-third of one day’s worth of pay.
Earlier this month, the Pentagon resorted to using research funds to pay service members as the shutdown entered its fourth week. Other federal employees missed their first full paychecks on Friday, following the Senate’s failure to pass a bill that would have guaranteed pay during the funding lapse.
