(MENAFN) The administration of President Donald Trump will use a $130 million contribution from an anonymous supporter to cover the salaries of military personnel, according to the Defense Department.

“The donation was made on the condition that it be used to offset the cost of Service members’ salaries and benefits,” Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell stated, adding that the funds were accepted under the department’s “general gift acceptance authority.”

It remains unclear how much of the payment for the country’s more than 1.3 million active-duty troops will actually be covered by this contribution. The Congressional Budget Office has projected that the 2025 federal budget requests roughly $600 billion for military compensation, meaning the $130 million donation would amount to about $100 per service member.

Turning to private contributions to fund troop pay is highly unusual and could raise concerns under the Antideficiency Act, which prohibits federal agencies from spending beyond the funds approved by Congress or accepting voluntary services.

Trump revealed the donation on Thursday evening, stating that it came from “a friend of mine” to help address shortfalls in military pay. He declined to disclose the donor’s identity, noting that the person “doesn’t really want the recognition.”

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