The Pentagon says it’s taking help from an anonymous donor to keep troops paid as the government shutdown drags on.
The surprise move highlights how deep the shutdown’s impact has reached — forcing the Defense Department to lean on private money to help cover military pay. It’s an unprecedented step raising questions about transparency, legality, and what happens when those funds run out.
Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed to Military.com the Department of Defense accepted a $130 million donation on October 23 under its general gift authority. He says the money will go toward offsetting the cost of service members’ salaries and benefits.
“We are grateful for this donor’s assistance after Democrats opted to withhold pay from troops,” Parnell said in a statement.
The Pentagon isn’t saying who gave the money or how it will be used. The amount is small compared with what the department normally spends on pay — billions each pay period for the nation’s active-duty force.
Clock Ticking on Troop Pay
Congress still hasn’t passed a funding bill to guarantee troop pay during the shutdown. The administration has already shifted billions from research and development accounts just to keep checks going out.
For now, the Pentagon says it’s grateful — but the clock is ticking. The next round of military pay is due soon, and it’s unclear what happens when that $130 million runs out.
This is a developing story. Military.com will update this report as more information becomes available.
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