By T. Jayani, JadeTimes News
Who is Timothy Mellon, Trump's New Mega Donor?
Timothy Mellon, an 81 year old billionaire and heir to one of America's wealthiest families, has emerged as a significant supporter of Donald Trump's 2024 election campaign. With a $50 million donation on May 31, Mellon has become the largest contributor to Trump's campaign in this election cycle. Additionally, Mellon has also been the biggest donor to independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s campaign.
Background
Mellon is a descendant of Thomas Mellon, an Irish immigrant who built a fortune in real estate and banking after arriving in the U.S. in 1818. The Mellon family, which includes his grandfather Andrew Mellon, a former U.S. Treasury Secretary, is estimated by Forbes to be worth over $14 billion, making them the 34th richest family in the U.S.
Born in 1942, Mellon studied city planning at Yale University. His father, a significant donor to Yale, funded the Yale Center for British Art. In 1981, Timothy Mellon founded Guilford Transportation Industries, acquiring several major railways and eventually buying the brand of the defunct Pan American World Airways. Mellon, an avid pilot, logged over 11,500 hours in the cockpit.
He served as a trustee of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation for 21 years before stepping down in 2002. In 2005, Mellon relocated from Connecticut to Wyoming, where he has maintained a low profile.
Political Contributions and Views
Mellon has a history of donating to conservative causes and candidates. In 2010, he contributed $1.5 million to support Arizona's SB 1070, a controversial anti immigration bill. In 2021, he donated over $53 million to Texas Governor Greg Abbott's border wall project. Mellon has also funded various Republican aligned super PACs.
In his 2015 memoir, Mellon criticized social safety net programs, referring to them as "Slavery Redux," and made controversial statements about black voters and government assistance. Despite his strong conservative leanings, Mellon has occasionally made donations to Democrats, including $2,700 to Alexandria Ocasio Cortez's 2018 campaign, though she attempted to return it.
Mellon has expressed admiration for Trump, particularly praising his efforts in trade and balancing U.S. relations with China.
Other Interests
In 2012, Mellon donated $1 million to a group searching for the remains of Amelia Earhart. Although the expedition was unsuccessful, Mellon later filed a lawsuit against the organization, claiming the plane had been found before his donation. The lawsuit was dismissed when Mellon's experts failed to prove the claim. Mellon's recent significant donation to Trump's campaign underscores his continued influence and support in political circles, aligning with his longstanding conservative values and advocacy.