A general view of the Pentagon in Washington, DC, on March 21. Kent Nishimura/Reuters

The Trump administration plans to funnel a $130 million donation from an anonymous ally of President Donald Trump toward paying military service members during the government shutdown , the Defense Department confirmed on Friday.

“The donation was made on the condition that it be used to offset the cost of Service members’ salaries and benefits,” chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement to CNN, adding that the money was accepted under the department’s “general gift acceptance authority.”

The move marks a striking departure from government procedure for funding the military, which traditionally relies on public funds appropriated by Congress.

Congressional appropriators on both s

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