ISTANBUL 

The Trump administration will rely on a $130 million donation from an anonymous supporter of President Donald Trump to pay military personnel, the Defense Department confirmed Friday.

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

The extent to which the donation will cover pay for the nation’s more than 1.3 million active-duty troops is uncertain.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the Trump administration’s 2025 budget seeks around $600 billion for military compensation, making the $130 million gift roughly equivalent to $100 per service member.

Turning to private donations to fund troop salaries is an uncommon measure and may risk violating the Antideficiency Act, which forbids federal agencies from spending funds beyond congressional allocations or receiving voluntary services.

On Thursday night, Trump announced the $130 million donation, saying it came from “a friend of mine” to help cover shortfalls in military pay. He declined to name the donor, explaining that the person “doesn’t really want the recognition.”