WASHINGTON โ(October 6,โข 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.โ Trump announced the decision via social media, stating he was acting to prevent “Braveโค Troops” from missing “paychecks theyโข are rightfully due.”
The move addresses a key โconcern as the shutdown, now in its 11th day, threatens to โdelay pay for the nationS โข1.3 million active-duty โservice 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 saidโข he was exercisingโ hisโค authority as commander โin chief, โdirecting Defense Secretary Pete โHegseth “to use all available fundsโฃ to get our Troops PAID on October 15th.” Heโ added, “We have identified funds โto do this, and Secretary Hegseth will use them to PAY OUR TROOPS.”
Funding for the troop payments is likely โขto come โคfromโ billions โof dollars allocated to โฃthe Defense Department throughโ a recent tax and spending billโข signed by Trump earlier this year. The Congressional Budget Office โค(CBO) confirmed the possibility of utilizing these funds.
according to the CBO,โ the administration could also draw from mandatory funding established in the 2025 reconciliationโ act โto maintain operations atโข agencies including the Department of defense, Department of the โคTreasury, Department of Homeland security, and the Office โฃof Management and โBudget.A letter from the CBOโ 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 โคexcepted workers who would receive delayedโ compensation.”
The White โคHouse has not yet provided details regarding the source of the funds. The governmentโข initially shut downโค on Octoberโ 1st, โat the start of the federalโฃ budget cycle.
