In an unprecedented move, the Pentagon has accepted a $130 million private donation to help cover salaries for roughly 1.3 million active duty US military personnel during the ongoing government shutdown. President Donald Trump hailed the unnamed donor as a “patriot” and friend, but legal experts and lawmakers are raising serious questions about the propriety and legality of the contribution.

How will the donation to Pentagon be used?

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

Is the donation to US Military legal?

The Pentagon’s reliance on its “general gift a

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