WASHINGTON (October 6, 2023) – President Donald Trump has directed the Pentagon to ensure active-duty U.S. troops receive their paychecks on October 15th, despite the ongoing government shutdown. Trump announced the decision via social media, stating he was acting to prevent “Brave Troops” from missing “paychecks they are rightfully due.”
The move addresses a key concern as the shutdown, now in its 11th day, threatens to delay pay for the nationS 1.3 million active-duty service members. however, the action does not extend to federal workers, with thousands facing layoffs as the government shutdown continues. The White House budget office began implementing these layoffs on Friday.
Trump attributed the shutdown to Democrats and said he was exercising his authority as commander in chief, directing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth “to use all available funds to get our Troops PAID on October 15th.” He added, “We have identified funds to do this, and Secretary Hegseth will use them to PAY OUR TROOPS.”
Funding for the troop payments is likely to come from billions of dollars allocated to the Defense Department through a recent tax and spending bill signed by Trump earlier this year. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) confirmed the possibility of utilizing these funds.
according to the CBO, the administration could also draw from mandatory funding established in the 2025 reconciliation act to maintain operations at agencies including the Department of defense, Department of the Treasury, Department of Homeland security, and the Office of Management and Budget.A letter from the CBO to Senator Joni ernst,R-Iowa,indicated Pentagon funds “could be used to pay active-duty personnel during a shutdown,thus reducing the number of excepted workers who would receive delayed compensation.”
The White House has not yet provided details regarding the source of the funds. The government initially shut down on October 1st, at the start of the federal budget cycle.
