WASHINGTON ‒ The Pentagon said it has accepted an anonymous $130 million donation from an ally of President Donald Trump that it plans to use to pay military members during the government shutdown.

The move marks a dramatic break from the government's process to fund the military, which relies on federal dollars appropriated by Congress. It comes as Trump has also accepted private donations from wealthy donors to build a $300-million ballroom on the White House grounds.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell, in an Oct. 24 statement, confirmed the Defense 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 Service members' salaries and benefits," Parnell said. "We are grateful for this donor's assistance after Democrats opted to withhold pay from troops."

Trump discussed the donation during White House remarks on Oct. 23, saying a "friend of mine," whose name the president declined to identify, recently called the president to say, "I'd like to contribute any shortfall that you have because of the Democrat shutdown."

"And today he sent us a check for $130 million," Trump said.

Service members have worked through the government shutdown, which started Oct. 1. But like other "essential" workers, they are not guaranteed paychecks.

The Pentagon, at Trump's instruction, altered the Defense Department's budget to ensure the nation's 1.3 million active-duty troops received their most recent paychecks Oct. 15. But it is unclear whether the government has the money for their next paychecks on Oct. 31.

Trump's plans to use the donation to pay military members raised legal and ethical concerns from Democrats. A Pentagon policy from March outlines purposes that gifts can be used for, such as the maintenance of schools, hospitals and other buildings, as well as injured members of the armed service. The policy also requires the department consult with ethics officials before accepting gifts of more than $10,000.

“Using anonymous donations to fund our military raises troubling questions of whether our own troops are at risk of literally being bought and paid for by foreign powers," a spokesman for U.S. Sen. Chris Coons, D-Delaware, said in a statement. Coons is the ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense.

The Pentagon did not say how many paychecks will be covered by the donation or how many payment cycles.

Trump would not disclose the donor's name when a reporter asked for the person's identity earlier in the week but on Oct. 24 said the money came from an American citizen.

"He doesn’t want publicity," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Asia. "He prefer that his name not be mentioned which is pretty unusual in the world I come from and in the world of politics you want your name mentioned."

Reach Joey Garrison on X @joeygarrison.

(This story has been updated with more information.)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pentagon accepts anonymous $130 million donation from Trump 'friend' to pay military

Reporting by Joey Garrison, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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