During an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper, Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy claimed President Donald Trump was exercising “king-like powers” by accepting Timothy Mellon’s donation to pay U.S. military troop salaries during the government shutdown. During an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper, Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy claimed President Donald Trump was exercising “king-like powers” by accepting Timothy Mellon’s donation to pay U.S. military troop salaries during the government shutdown.