The extremely private billionaire, Timothy Mellon, has emerged as a prominent supporter of the Republican Party, making headlines after contributing a staggering $125 million to the Make America Great Again super PAC during Donald Trump's presidential campaign last year. This anonymous donation was announced by Trump on Thursday, who praised the benefactor as a “patriot” and a personal friend, without disclosing his identity.
When pressed by reporters about the potential identity of the donor, Trump refrained from naming Mellon, describing him instead as “a great American citizen” and a “substantial man.” According to reports from The Times, Trump noted, “He doesn’t want publicity,” emphasizing that this desire for anonymity is quite unusual in the political arena where recognition is often sought.
The Pentagon confirmed to The Times that it accepted the significant donation under its “general gift acceptance authority.” However, this contribution raises potential legal concerns, as it may violate the Antideficiency Act. This act prohibits federal agencies from spending beyond the budget authorized by Congress or utilizing unpaid labor not approved by lawmakers.
Despite numerous attempts to reach out for comment, the Mellon family foundation has not responded to inquiries from Fortune, and efforts by The Times to contact Mellon have been unsuccessful.
Timothy Mellon, who founded the now-defunct Guilford Transportation Industries in 1981, primarily owes his fortune to his grandfather, Andrew Mellon. Andrew served as Secretary of the Treasury from 1921 to 1932, successfully campaigning to eliminate estate taxes to preserve his wealth for future generations. Before his tenure at the Treasury, Andrew amassed considerable wealth through banking, industrial investments, and early-stage company funding.
Recognized as one of America’s wealthiest families by Forbes last year, the Mellon family boasts a combined net worth exceeding $14 billion. While Timothy Mellon’s precise share of this wealth remains unclear, he estimated his net worth at around $700 million in 2014. A more recent estimate by the London Times placed his net worth closer to $1 billion, while a relative disclosed to Vanity Fair that it could be as high as $4.2 billion, noting that Mellon prefers to keep his true financial status under wraps.
Between 1996 and 2018, Mellon contributed approximately $350,000 to various political causes, as reported by the Wall Street Journal. However, during the 2020 election cycle, his political donations surged, with a total of $60 million directed towards Republican candidates, including $20 million specifically for Trump. In the ongoing 2024 election cycle, Mellon has already donated a notable $165 million, which includes $25 million to the political action committee American Values 2024, which supported Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s presidential bid.
In a self-published autobiography titled panam.captain from 2015, Kennedy remarked, “Tim Mellon is a maverick entrepreneur who embodies the most admirable qualities of what FDR called ‘American Industrial genius.’”
The timing of Mellon’s substantial donation coincides with a critical moment for the Trump administration, as the former president has pledged to ensure that military personnel, immigration agents, and law enforcement officials receive their salaries despite lacking legislative approval for the necessary funding. Recently, Trump signed an executive order directing the Pentagon to reallocate portions of research and development funds to cover military salaries.
According to the Bipartisan Policy Center, a Washington-based think tank, approximately 670,000 federal workers have been furloughed, while an additional 730,000 are continuing to work without pay. As the government shutdown extends into its third week, countless federal employees have faced the distressing reality of missing their first paycheck this week.