A major milestone in the government shutdown is just around the corner
The ongoing government shutdown could disrupt paychecks, Head Start programs, and health benefits by November.
WASHINGTON – The Pentagon announced it will accept an anonymous $130 million donation from allies of President Donald Trump and use it to pay military personnel during the government shutdown.
The move marks a dramatic break from the government’s military funding process, which relies on funds appropriated by Congress. This comes as President Trump is also accepting private donations from wealthy donors to build a $300 billion ballroom on the White House grounds.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed in an Oct. 24 statement that the department accepted the anonymous donation under its “general gift acceptance authority.”
“The donation was made on the condition that it be used to offset the cost of pay and benefits for service members,” Parnell said. “We are grateful for the support of this donor after Democrats chose to withhold paychecks from the military.”
President Trump mentioned the donation in remarks at the White House on Oct. 23, saying that “a friend of mine,” whom the president did not name, recently called him and told him “we want to donate what we’re missing because of the Democratic shutdown.”
“And today he sent us a check for $130 million,” President Trump said.
Military personnel have been working through the government shutdown that began Oct. 1, but like other “essential” workers, their pay is not guaranteed.
At the direction of President Trump, the Pentagon has made changes to the Pentagon’s budget to ensure that 1.3 million active-duty soldiers receive their latest paychecks on October 15th. However, it is unclear whether the government will have the funds to pay the next payroll on October 31st.
President Trump’s plan to use donations to pay military personnel has raised legal and ethical concerns from Democrats. The Pentagon’s March policy outlines how gifts can be used to maintain schools, hospitals and other buildings, and to injured military personnel. The policy also requires the department to consult with ethics officials before accepting gifts over $10,000.
“Using anonymous donations to fund our military raises the troubling question of whether our military is literally at risk of being bought and paid for by a foreign power,” Delaware Sen. Chris Coons, the top Democrat on the Senate Defense Appropriations subcommittee, told CNN.
The Pentagon has not said how much salary will be covered by the donation or how many payment cycles there will be.
President Trump did not reveal the names of the donors when asked by reporters.
President Trump said, “I would like to convey this message.” “If you really want to know the truth, he doesn’t really want to be recognized.”
X Contact Joey Garrison at @joeygarrison.
