Trump Scrapes Enough Federal -- and Private -- Money to Pay the Troops for One More Week

Nick Sortor @nicksortor

BREAKING: The White House has found a way to make sure troops are PAID this week, despite the ongoing Schumer Shutdown, VP JD Vance has confirmed

Fantastic.

These heroes deserve every dime on time.

A "mystery donor" reportedly donated $130 million to help pay the troops, but surely that isn't enough to cover the military's personnel budget, even for a week.

An unnamed donor is giving $130m (£100m) to the Pentagon to help pay US troops during the government shutdown, sparking ethics concerns.

US defence officials confirmed the gift, which President Donald Trump said will make up for shortfalls in paying the country's 1.32m service members, but declined to identify the donor.

Trump provided a few clues, though, saying on Saturday that he was "a big supporter of mine" and a US citizen.

The NYT identified the donor as Mellon fortune heir Tim Mellon, and then, you'll never believe it, claimed it would be illegal for the US to use the money to pay the troops whose salaries the Democrats are blocking.

Timothy Mellon, a reclusive billionaire and a major financial backer of President Trump, is the anonymous private donor who gave $130 million to the U.S. government to help pay troops during the shutdown, according to two people familiar with the matter.

Mr. Trump announced the donation on Thursday night, but he declined to name the person who provided the funds, only calling him a "patriot" and a friend. But the two people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the donation was private, identified him as Mr. Mellon.

Shortly after departing Washington on Friday, Mr. Trump again declined to identify Mr. Mellon while talking to reporters aboard Air Force One. He only said the individual was "a great American citizen" and a "substantial man.

...

Mr. Mellon, a wealthy banking heir and railroad magnate, is a longtime backer of Mr. Trump and gave tens of millions of dollars to groups supporting the president's campaign. Last year, he made a $50 million donation to a super PAC supporting Mr. Trump, which was one of the largest single contributions ever disclosed.

A grandson of former Treasury Secretary Andrew W. Mellon, Mr. Mellon was not a prominent Republican donor until Mr. Trump was elected. But in recent years, he has poured hundreds of millions of dollars into supporting Mr. Trump and the Republican Party.

Mr. Mellon, who lives primarily in Wyoming, keeps a low profile despite his prolific political spending. He is also a significant supporter of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who also ran for president last year. Mr. Mellon donated millions to Mr. Kennedy's presidential campaign and has also given money to his anti-vaccine group, Children's Health Defense.

The Pentagon said it accepted the donation under the "general gift acceptance authority."

Still, the donation appears to be a potential violation of the Antideficiency Act, which prohibits federal agencies from spending money in excess of congressional appropriations or from accepting voluntary services.

They're gearing up to challenge the payments to the military. As Democrat Whip Katherine Clarke admitted last week -- before she began backpedaling -- the Democrats want to inflict "suffering" on the American people for "leverage" in trying to get money for illegal aliens.

Democrats don't want to be blamed for suing to stop Trump from paying troops stuck overseas in warzones without pay. They're counting on the ACLU or Norm Eisen to sue on their behalf -- but everyone knows those are just Democrat-Antifa-Media Party catspaws.

From Ed Morrissey: John Thune says that Democrats are quietly praying for the shutdown to end.

"There are rank-and-file Democrats, we've had back-channel conversations...that have intensified."

"There are people who want to get this figured out on the Democrat side."

"There are. But the challenge is the Democrat leadership couldn't care LESS about this."

"Chuck Schumer, they're in a BOX. They are running SCARED of the far-left."

Video at the link.

It is speculated by Mark Halperin (I think) that what will eventually happen is that Chuck Schumer will tell some purple-state Democrats to "betray" him and vote to end the shutdown, so that Chuck Schumer can pretend playing the Tough Guy for his inevitable primary fight with -- and primary loss to -- Alexandria Donkey Chompers.

CNN's excitable schmoll analyst delivers the bad news to the Democrats: the GOP has gained popularity during the Democrat-Antifa Shutdown.

Trump's trip to Japan, meanwhile, is a success. He promised to get the troops a pay raise.

Trump rallies US military's might, floats armed forces pay raise in address to troops in Japan President Trump spoke to military members aboard the USS George Washington, and was joined by Japanese PM Takaichi

President Donald Trump addressed U.S. service members aboard the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier George Washington Tuesday amid his weeklong trip to Asia.

President Donald Trump spoke to U.S. service members aboard the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier George Washington in Yokosuka, Japan, Tuesday morning to promote his administration's "peace through strength" military messaging on the world stage.

"A year and a half ago, we had a different country than we do right now," Trump told the military members. "Now we're the most respected country in the world, we're the hottest country anywhere in the world. And it hasn't taken too long. But, I had no doubt. I just didn't know we were going to do it this fast. We've done it fast because of people like you."

Trump is in the midst of a whirlwind tour through Asia, including beginning his trip in Malaysia, before heading to Japan and later holding a planned meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping during his final stop in South Korea Thursday. The president also oversaw the signing of a peace agreement between Cambodia and Thailand Sunday.

...

Trump was joined by Japan's newly elected Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi aboard the U.S. aircraft carrier Tuesday, as well as by U.S. military leaders such as Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. Trump celebrated in his remarks that the U.S. military is once again respected after bucking "political correctness" out of an effort to better defend the U.S.

"When it comes to defending the United States, we're no longer politically correct," Trump said. "We're going to defend our country any way we have to. And that's usually not the politically, politically correct way. From now on, if we're in a war, we're going to win the war. We're going to win it like nobody ever before."

The service members were heard chanting "Trump, Trump, Trump" when the president first took the stage.

Trump thanked the military for their service and added that he's supporting a pay increase for every U.S. service member in the armed forces.

"I'm also supporting an across-the-board pay raise for every sailor and service member in the United States armed forces," Trump told the crowd, which earned widespread applause. "Now, if you don't want it, you want to give back to your country. Just let us know. We won't give it to you. Is there anybody in that category?" he joked before adding that Democrat lawmakers would approve the plan.

"But now all we really have to do is get the Democrats to approve it. But they'll come along. They always do. You know, they always do that," he continued.

...

Takaichi, Japan's first female prime minister, also addressed U.S. troops to thank them, as well as the Japanese military, for their dedication to protecting the region.

"I am truly honored to have this opportunity to deliver remarks with President Trump aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington, a symbol of protecting freedom and peace in this region," the Japanese leader said, according to a translator at the event.

"First and foremost, I would like to express my deep respect and sincere gratitude to all the men and women in uniform. From Japan's Self-Defense Forces and the U.S. forces, Japan, for your dedication and commitment to safeguard peace and security of our nation and the region, day and night," she continued.

Trump lauded the Japanese prime minister as a "winner" in his remarks, while celebrating the U.S.'s relationship with Japan following World War II.

"This woman is a winner. So, you know, we've become very close friends all of a sudden because their stock market today and our stock market today hit an all-time high. That means we're doing something right," he said.

..

The president concluded his speech by highlighting that the U.S. went "through four bad years, but now America will always be first," citing the U.S. military's strength.

"Every sailor here today inherits a legacy of valor and grit and glory unmatched in the long history of mankind's voyage on the seas," he said. "It's a voyage like nobody's ever had, like you have. For two and a half centuries, America's Navy has preserved the vision of our first commander in chief who gave this ship its storied name, its righteous soul and its timeless motto, 'first in war, first in peace.' Very famous phrase, George Washington. After 250 years, that is exactly what our country is today. It's first in war, first in peace, first in wealth, first in power, first in science, first in spirit and first in freedom."

Takaichi made a gift to Trump of assassinated Japanese PM Shinzo Abe's beloved putter.

Takaichi kicked off the meeting with a warm welcome of the US president and said that she hoped the meeting would mark "a new golden age of the Japan-US alliance".

During the meeting, Trump told Takaichi that becoming the nation's first woman Prime Minister was "a big deal" and that she would become "one of the great Prime Ministers" of Japan.

Takaichi presented Trump with several gifts

Some of them are:

1) A golf bag

2) A putter, that was used by Shinzo Abe

3) Two caps with the words "Japan is back".

As a woman of color, I hate this other woman of color, because she may be skinfolk, but she ain't kinfolk.

How's you'se all doin'?

posted by Ace at 12:10 PM

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