Trump Megadonor Stops Writing Checks in Brutal GOP Snub
Timothy Mellon has not publicly disclosed any contributions supporting Republican Senate nominees.
Saul Loeb/Pool via Reuters
A major Republican Party benefactor has all but pulled his funding for GOP Senate hopefuls ahead of the midterms after lawmakers failed to deliver Donald Trump’s planned voting overhaul.
Timothy Mellon, 84, has made no publicly disclosed contribution supporting GOP Senate nominees this cycle, according to a New York Times analysis of federal filings. His reported giving to Republican candidates and groups in the same period has fallen to roughly $3.1 million.
Timothy Mellon, seen outside an inspection train during a property tour in 1981.
Uncredited/AP
This compares to the roughly $197 million the reclusive heir to the Mellon banking empire poured into federal political groups during the 2024 cycle, including $150 million into Trump’s MAGA Inc.
People familiar with the matter attributed that decision to the Senate’s failure to enact the SAVE America Act. Majority Leader John Thune supported the legislation but said in March that “the votes aren’t there” to scrap the filibuster and pass it with Republican votes alone.
Mellon voiced his upset after Senate Republicans sent him a fundraising appeal, the Times reported on Wednesday. He personally replied that no donation was coming because senators had failed to pass the legislation, a person familiar with the exchange told the outlet.
The SAVE America Act would require people registering for federal elections to produce documents proving their U.S. citizenship and require ID when voting. Its latest version also adds identification rules for absentee ballots.
John Thune has repeatedly told Trump there is not enough support in the upper chamber to pass the SAVE America Act. This has upset Mellon.
Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters
Democrats have opposed the measure, while Trump repeatedly pressured Republican senators to pass it.
Sign Up for The Swamp Newsletter
By clicking “SUBSCRIBE” you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
However, Mellon has not stopped spending on the party altogether, as the Times reports he has donated $20 million to the Congressional Leadership Fund, but that August contribution has not yet appeared in public campaign-finance reports.
Mellon has previously been very generous to the GOP. He handed $30 million to the Senate Leadership Fund in 2020 and around another $30 million across Senate-focused groups during the next two election cycles, according to the Times.
Other wealthy donors have helped fill the gap, and the Senate GOP’s principal outside group remains heavily funded heading into November, the outlet reports.
Mellon’s representatives declined to comment to the Times. The Daily Beast has approached them for comment.
See more of our coverage in your search results.
Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here.
Register below to read this article for free or subscribe
to unlock unlimited access to The Daily Beast.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Already have an account? Sign In
Looks like you already have a subscription!
- Account (completed)
- Payment (completed)
- Confirmation (completed)
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.
- 1Account
- 2Payment
- 3Confirmation
Sign in or create an account
Login dialog
Loading comments…