The Pentagon said it received an anonymous US$130 million donation to pay the military during the US government shutdown, a move the Trump administration might not legally be able to carry out.

“On October 23, 2025, the Department of War accepted an anonymous donation of US$130 million under its general gift acceptance authority,” Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement on Friday.

“The donation was made on the condition that it be used to offset the cost of service members’ salaries and benefits.”

The donation is US President Donald Trump’s latest manoeuvre to seize greater control of government functions amid the shutdown, which has stretched into its fourth week. The White House has moved to fire federal workers and slash funding for projects in areas governed by Democrats, which have drawn legal challenges.

Attempting to pay US military troops during the shutdown could prove to be politically popular – and also highlight congressional Democrats’ refusal to approve a government spending bill. But federal law generally forbids individuals from making earmarked gifts to the government.

While individuals can make unconditional gifts to the US Treasury, they are credited to the general fund or used to pay down the national debt. The money cannot be spent without a congressional appropriation – and it is that lack of an appropriation that has shut down the government.