Overview
- The Defense Department said it accepted the funds on Oct. 23 under its general gift acceptance authority, with the donation conditioned to offset service members’ salaries and benefits.
- The donor remains anonymous and the Pentagon declined to say whether the individual is a U.S. citizen or a foreign national.
- The amount is far short of payroll needs, with analysts estimating a typical pay period costs roughly $6.5 billion and another payday due around Oct. 30–31.
- After shifting about $8 billion from research accounts to cover mid‑October pay, officials still face a multibillion‑dollar gap for the next pay cycle despite the $130 million gift.
- Senators and experts cited the Antideficiency Act and Pentagon ethics rules—requiring review of gifts over $10,000 and extra scrutiny for foreign donors—as they pressed for details on legality and vetting.