Back on October 11, President Donald Trump directed the Pentagon to use "all available funds" to ensure U.S. troops were paid on schedule, despite the government shutdown, thereby robbing the Democrats of some of their leverage in the shutdown. Then, just over a week ago, Trump announced that an anonymous donor had pledged $130 million to cover the shortfall in military pay.
The Atlantic's Anne Applebaum figures that if a billionaire donor is paying the troops, then they're no longer America's troops. That donor didn't stay anonymous for long and was outed as Tim Mellon, who immediately became the object of a smear job by Glenn Thrush, who posted that Mellon "has a history of negative comments about black people."
So, we guess that for $130 million, the troops are now Mellon's troops. We wonder what he's going to do with them.
if he is privately paying the troops, then they aren't America's troops https://t.co/y1Rbde8sTy
— Anne Applebaum (@anneapplebaum) October 27, 2025
The troops get back pay when government opens. And Mellon gets his money back. Big deal.
— CCFC-off season (@sohali2012) October 27, 2025
They are American troops. Though it's likely that you never cared about them before.
— 🇺🇸 America's Great (@Gunalizer) October 27, 2025
your take depends on so many preposterous assumptions
— Moog Rogue (@MoogRogue) October 27, 2025
The Federal Reserve is a private bank that prints money and lends it to the USG. The government then taxes us to pay back the money.
— Doo Doo Economics (@DooDooEcon) October 28, 2025
By your logic they are bank troops.
Donations differ from contractual employment compensation.
— Anthony Francis (@Tony_Accel) October 28, 2025
This is why when I donate to charities, I don’t get to take a position of authority over them.
Double yawn.
— Doug Broyer (@21DaySuccessSys) October 27, 2025
You are dull.
— DaHighestLife (@DaHighestLife) October 27, 2025
My goodness, that is a take.
— Gigi Levangie (@GigiLevangie) October 28, 2025
Libs are enraged that the troops are getting a lifeline because they want Americans to suffer as much as possible as "leverage" against the Republicans.
— Deb Heine (@NiceDeb) October 27, 2025
Exactly. They hate Trump, and they hate Mellon because he supports Trump. They don't care about the troops.
If NGOs are fully funded by the government, then they aren't private institutions.
— Close the Dip (@dose_of_Close) October 27, 2025
Only a Democrat could turn personal generosity into something terrible and dark.
— Kevin Meredith (@KevinMeredith) October 27, 2025
He’s not privately paying anyone. He’s paying government with them in turn disbursing normal checks.
— Dave S (@DaveS98757658) October 27, 2025
If the new rule is: "if somebody gives money to the government, then it isn't the government's money," then I'm totally cool with this new rule.
— MolonNukei (@MolonNukei) October 27, 2025
Seriously, does she now think that our armed forces now take orders from Mellon because he wrote a check for $130 million to the government?
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Editor’s Note: The Schumer Shutdown is here. Rather than put the American people first, Chuck Schumer and the radical Democrats forced a government shutdown for healthcare for illegals. They own this.
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