The Pentagon announced today that it has accepted an anonymous donation of $130 million to pay U.S. soldiers during the government funding shutdown.
In a statement from the Pentagon’s chief spokesman, Sean Parnell, it was noted that the U.S. Department of Defense on Thursday “accepted an anonymous donation of $130 million in accordance with its general authority to accept gifts.”
The donation was given on the condition that it be used to cover the costs of salaries and benefits for military personnel, according to a statement reported by ABC News.
Around two million members of the U.S. armed forces are at risk of going without pay if the government funding blockade continues.
President of the United States Donald Trump previously stated that a wealthy private donor had provided $130 million to the U.S. government to cover potential shortfalls in military salary payments due to the ongoing government shutdown.
Speaking at an event at the White House, Trump praised the donor as a “patriot” and a “friend,” but refused to reveal his identity.
Trump earlier signed an executive order allowing the Pentagon to reallocate unused research funds for the purpose of paying military salaries.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson described this as a temporary solution and warned that soldiers could soon be left without pay if Congress fails to pass a budget.
The operation of the U.S. federal government has been partially suspended since October 1 due to disagreements among lawmakers over the new budget, with disputes over health subsidies at the center of the blockade.
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Source: Politika, Foto: Wikimedia Creative Commons