The anonymous “friend” of President Donald Trump who donated $130 million earlier this week to help pay U.S. service members during the ongoing government shutdown , has been identified as the wealthy, reclusive Timothy Mellon, the New York Times reported on Saturday, citing two people familiar with the matter.

The White House referred Newsweek to the Pentagon and the Treasury Department; the Pentagon said it had no comment.

Newsweek has reached out to the Department of Treasury and the Mellon Foundation for comment via email on Saturday. Newsweek could not identify a direct contact for Mellon.

Why It Matters

Speculation about the donor’s identity has mounted since the gift was confirmed. The Pentagon told Newsweek on Friday that it accepted the donation, a disclosure tha

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