Reclusive Saratoga billionaire Timothy Mellon, identified by The New York Times as the anonymous donor of $130 million to the government for military salaries amid the federal shutdown, describes himself in a memoir as a former liberal who escaped Connecticut’s “rat race” in 2005 for the “greener pastures” of picturesque, tax-friendly Wyoming.
“Life in Connecticut did not seem satisfactory: too many New Yorkers were moving in, true friends were difficult to make, traffic was becoming alarmingly dangerous, state taxes were always on the increase … life in general was becoming more tense and unpleasant,” writes Mellon in his self-published autobiography “PANAM.Captain."
He’s the 83-year-old grandson of former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Andrew Mellon and an heir to the Mellon banking fortune.
Mellon and his wife chose Wyoming as their new home over locations in Florida and South Dakota, buying two adjoining ranches, the Riverbend and the Mill Iron-S near Saratoga southwest of Laramie.
“Moose grazing along the Laramie River, which bisected both properties, convinced us to buy,” he said. "The deal was sealed.
"Wyoming is vast. Wyoming is extra friendly, in fact. Wyoming is peaceful.”
Later, Mellon decided to donate the a ranch near Laramie to the University of Wyoming School of Agriculture with the understanding that the school would resell it on the open market for no less than the appraised residual price used for the scenic easement, according to his autobiography.
The agreement also called for the university to use the proceeds from the sale to fund research in animal diseases such as brucellosis.
A Big Donor
Mellon, whose wealth is estimated to be as much as $4 billion, made his fortune through the transportation sector, founding the railroad company Guilford Transportation Industries, which bought bankrupt Pan American World Airways in 1998.
He is also a major donor to Republican Party candidates and causes.
Mellon gave $50 million to President Donald Trump’s campaign in May 2024, which at the time was the largest single contribution, according to the website OpenSecrets.
Additionally, since the start of 2022, Mellon has reportedly poured in more than $125 million to Make America Great Again, the Trump-affiliated super political action committee; and $25 million to American Values 2024, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s super PAC.
Mellon has also been involved in conservative efforts outside of Wyoming.
In 2024, he was responsible for nearly all the donations to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s $54 million border wall fund to guard against illegal immigration, according to the Texas Tribune.
Also in 2024, Mellon funded a large billboard that warned drivers along southbound Interstate 25 at the Wyoming-Colorado border: “Venezuela Ahead, Be Prepared!” on a color scheme that mimicked the Venezuelan flag.
This sign referenced reports of a Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua taking over an apartment complex in Aurora, Colorado, a large suburb of Denver.
What The $130 Million Says
It’s not publicly known how Mellon’s latest $130 million donation to the government for the military will be disbursed. It appears to be a largely symbolic gesture equating to about $100 per active-duty service member.
Mellon did not return a phone call Monday from the Cowboy State Daily seeking comment..
The donation from Mellon sends a strong message to Congress, showing that private citizens are willing to step forward and offer financial support for government employees, while bickering Republicans and Democrats are not, said Ret. Air Force Col. Tucker Fagan, who was the former commander of F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne and a U.S. Pentagon official under President Ronald Regan.
“It (the donation) embarrasses Congress,” he told Cowboy State Daily in a Monday phone interview. “Deep down, everybody knows these people (federal employees) are hostages.”
Bryan Miller, chairman of the Wyoming Republican Party and a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel, also praised Mellon’s generosity.
“Mr. Mellon's generosity demonstrates that even as Wyoming is the least populated state in the nation, Republicans like Mr. Mellon can have a tremendous impact on the state of our national security.”
Delegation Weighs In
Republican Majority Whip Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming said the best way to help U.S. troops is to “open the government again.”
“The people of Wyoming are known for being generous with their time and resources,” Barrasso said in an email. “That includes Mr. Mellon. This is an incredible gesture to our men and women in uniform.”
U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman, R-Wyoming, added that Mellon is inspirational.
"Timothy Mellon is clearly a patriot who is willing to step up and support our men and women in uniform,” Hageman said in a statement. “We should all be thanking him for that.”
She also said the donation shows the hypocrisy of Democrats who like to bash the rich.
"The left's mantra seems to be ‘tax the rich,’ yet when a successful American uses his own resources to help fund our military during a government shutdown caused by Democrats’ failure to govern, they attack him for it,” Hageman said. "While they play politics, Mr. Mellon is taking action. That speaks volumes about his character and about the spirit of Wyoming.”
At the White House before leaving for his trip to Asia, President Donald Trump didn’t mention Mellon by name, but told reporters that the anonymous donor is a “friend (who) really doesn’t want the recognition.
“That’s what I call a patriot."
Scott Schwebke can be reached at scott@cowboystatedaily.com.
