WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Saturday that he has directed the Defense Department to use “all available funds” to ensure U.S. troops are paid Wednesday despite the government shutdown.
Trump said in a social media post that he was acting because “our Brave Troops will miss the paychecks they are rightfully due on October 15th.”
The Republican president's action removes one of the pressure points that could have forced Congress into
action, likely ensuring that the shutdown -- now in its 11th day and counting — extends into a third week and possibly beyond. But no similar action seems forthcoming for federal workers, thousands of whom are now being laid off during the lapse in government operations. The White House budget office started that process on Friday.
Trump blamed Democrats and said he was exercising his authority as commander in chief to direct Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth “to use all available funds to get our Troops PAID on October 15th.” The Republican president added, "We have identified funds to do this, and Secretary Hegseth will use them to PAY OUR TROOPS.”
U.S service members were in danger of not receiving their next paycheck on Wednesday after the government shut down on Oct. 1, the start of the federal budget cycle. The U.S. has about 1.3 million active-duty service members, and the prospect of troops going without pay has been a focal point when lawmakers on Capitol Hill have discussed the shutdown’s negative impact.
Trump did not say where he's getting the money from but it likely will be funded by the billions of dollars that were pumped into the Defense Department under Trump's big tax and spending cut bill that he signed in the summer. The Congressional Budget Office said such a move was possible.
“The Administration also could decide to use mandatory funding provided in the 2025 reconciliation act or other sources of mandatory funding to continue activities financed by those direct appropriations at various agencies,” CBO said.
The CBO cited the Department of Defense, the Department of the Treasury, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Office of Management and Budget as among the departments that received specific funds under the law.
Some of the Pentagon's money "could be used to pay active-duty personnel during a shutdown, thus reducing the number of excepted workers who would receive delayed compensation,” CBO wrote in a letter responding to questions raised by Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa.
The White House did not immediately respond to an email request for details on the president's announcement.
