Mellon Withholds Senate Donations After SAVE Act Failure

Billionaire donor Timothy Mellon has made no publicly disclosed contributions to Republican Senate nominees this election cycle, after Senate Republicans failed to pass the SAVE America Act, according to accounts of his giving and private conversations. Mellon’s team reportedly cited the bill’s failure as a reason for withholding support, while his political giving overall has fallen sharply from 2024. People briefed on private conversations told The New York Times that Mellon’s team linked his decision to the Senate’s inability to advance the legislation. In a separate reported exchange, Mellon replied to a fundraising letter saying he would not donate because the bill had not passed. The accounts trace to the same reporting, and a representative for Mellon declined to comment. Mellon’s publicly disclosed contributions this cycle total about $3 million, compared with nearly $200 million in support of President Donald Trump and other Republicans in 2024, according to the reports. The figures reflect disclosed contributions and do not establish his eventual total giving for the cycle.