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, a short-term fix that will not apply to the hundreds of thousands of federal workers who have been furloughed.
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 directive 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 employees also working without pay while thousands are now being laid offduring the lapse in government operations. The White House budget office started the layoffs on Friday.
The Trump administration said on Saturday it would pay troops during the federal government shutdown by tapping unused funds that had been set aside for research and development.
“I am using my authority, as Commander in Chief, to direct our Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to use all available funds to get our Troops PAID on October 15th,” President Donald Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.
Trump did not identify funding sources or the total amount that would be used for troop salaries, and the White House did not respond to a request for comment. But a Pentagon official said that about $8 billion originally slated for research, development, testing and evaluation would be used to pay members of the military if the shutdown continues after October 15.
Trump made the announcement on the 11th day of a government shutdown that was sparked by a funding impasse with minority congressional Democrats.
Trump’s Republican Party controls the House of Representatives and the Senate. But to reach the 60 votes needed in the Senate to pass a spending bill, Republicans must convince at least seven Democratic senators to back the measure.
On Saturday, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries called minority Democrats back to Washington for a Tuesday evening meeting “to discuss a path forward in connection with the Republican shutdown and the healthcare crisis they have created.”
He issued the summons even though House Speaker Mike Johnson has said he will not schedule any legislative sessions until the shutdown ends.
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