Overview
- The Defense Department said it accepted the funds under its general gift-acceptance authority and that the donor restricted the money to salaries and benefits.
- President Trump described the donor as “a friend,” while officials have not disclosed the identity or addressed questions about any foreign ties.
- Appropriations leaders and Senator Dick Durbin sought documentation, citing potential conflicts with the Antideficiency Act and Pentagon ethics rules.
- The sum represents only a fraction of payroll needs—about $100 per active-duty service member—and cannot substitute for congressional appropriations.
- The administration previously shifted roughly $6.5–8 billion from Defense R&D accounts to cover pay during the shutdown, and the Pentagon has not explained how this gift will be distributed or reported to Congress.