Government Shutdown Continues as Military Pay Plans Announced
The government shutdown has now been going on for over a week, and frustration is palpable among federal employees. In the midst of this, the Trump administration has found a way to keep military payments flowing, which seems crucial.
As military personnel’s payday approaches on Wednesday and with no resolution to the shutdown in sight, President Trump revealed that the Department of the Army will secure extra funds to ensure soldiers and women receive their pay.
Trump stated, “I will not let the Democrats use our military and national security as leverage during this government crisis.”
He pointed fingers at Congressional Democrats for the stalemate, after they spent nearly two weeks refusing to negotiate a clean continuing resolution (CR) bill.
Trump expressed concern: “If we do nothing, our brave troops won’t get their paychecks on October 15th, all because of ‘leader’ Chuck Schumer and the Democrats. That’s why I’m using my powers as Commander-in-Chief to ensure our troops are paid. I’m instructing Secretary of the Army, Pete Hegseth, to utilize any available funds arriving on October 15th. We’ve pinpointed funds for this purpose, and Secretary Hegseth will implement this plan.” In a post on Truth Social, he made his position clear.
Regarding the announcement, an Army Department official told Blaze News, “The president has ordered the Secretary of the Army to access existing funds to assure service members are paid on October 15th. If the funding lapse continues past that date, we plan to use non-obligated Research, Development, Testing and Evaluation (RDTE) funds for mid-month paychecks.”
When asked for further clarification, the White House directed inquiries to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), where a spokesperson confirmed the plan to pay military salaries using these available funds.
On Tuesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson voiced his confidence in the president’s financial plan, noting Democrats are contemplating legal action against it. He remarked, “Are Democrats really suggesting they want to go to court to prevent our troops from getting their pay? Come on! Thank you, Commander-in-Chief, for prioritizing our service members.”
If not for this decision by the Department of the Army and President Trump, it’s likely that military pay would halt until a new spending measure is approved. The Anti-Deficiency Act restricts government agencies from spending funds not authorized by Congress, placing military paychecks in jeopardy.
This situation illustrates a significant dilemma: while the Anti-Deficiency Act mandates active-duty military personnel continue their duties during the shutdown, it concurrently prohibits the government from processing payroll without appropriated funds.
