WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Andy Kim (D-N.J.) led a group of Democratic Senators in sending a letter demanding transparency after the Trump administration accepted a $130 million private donation to pay military servicemembers during the government shutdown. While it is imperative servicemembers receive the pay they have earned, the Senators outline the grave legal and national security concerns related to the donation. 

“With the federal government now reopened, it is critical that the Administration not undermine Congress’s spending authority, and does not allow private funds from secret sources to be used in a way that creates financial conflicts of interests and threatens national security. It is essential that Congress, and the American people, receive transparency on whether and how these funds were used for servicemember pay,” wrote the Senators in a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the Acting Inspector General at the Department of Defense, Steven Stebbins. 

The letter was signed by Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR).  

Text of Full Letter (PDF)

The Senators assert that under the Antideficiency Act, “without express direction from Congress, the Trump administration cannot use private funds to pay servicemembers.” The law supports Congress’s constitutional authority over the purse and requires the executive branch not make expenditures more than amounts available via congressional appropriations. 

“In addition, the private gift poses significant concerns about potential conflicts of interest that could affect sensitive national security decisions,” write the Senators. “…Without full public disclosure of the donor’s identity, there remain serious risks of foreign influence, conflicts of interest involving potential Department of Defense contracts, and other vulnerabilities that could compromise taxpayer funds and U.S. national security objectives.” 

The Senators note that accepting private funding for these purposes undermine the integrity of the institution,stating directly: “The U.S. military serves the American people – not any individual.” They are seeking answers about how the Department of Defense is complying with the Antideficiency Act and about the details of the donation, including any solicitation by the department for the money, the identity of the donor, protections in place against conflicts of interest, and detailed plans about how the donation is distributed. 

Senator Kim has stood firmly against the Trump administration’s continued corruption and relentless lawlessness, including unilaterally making decisions of military force without congressional authorization. Most recently, he joined colleagues in a letter calling for an investigation into Secretary Noem’s $220 million ad campaign. In his work to combat corruption across all levels of government, Senator Kim has introducedlegislation to end profiteering by officials of all three branches of the government.  

###