President Donald Trump has instructed Secretary of the Army Pete Hegseth to use available funds to ensure U.S. service members are paid on October 15, despite an ongoing government shutdown that has put federal paychecks at risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The federal government shutdown began on October 1 after Congress did not pass a funding bill. The lapse in funding has affected more than 1.3 million active-duty service members, along with hundreds of thousands of federal employees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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In a statement on Truth Social, Trump emphasized that military personnel should receive their pay on time. \u201cWe have identified funds to do this, and Secretary Hegseth will use them to pay our troops,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The administration has been exploring legal options to maintain military pay without new congressional approval. A senior White House official stated that all possible avenues are being considered to ensure timely payments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Republican lawmakers have criticized Democrats for delaying a funding agreement, while Democrats have cited issues related to expiring Affordable Care Act tax credits that need to be addressed as part of negotiations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Several members of Congress have publicly supported the move to protect military pay. Rep. Jenn Kiggans (R-Va.), a former Navy helicopter pilot, said ensuring service members receive their pay is a priority.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries have continued to call for negotiations to resolve the funding impasse. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson noted that the ongoing shutdown has affected federal workers and emphasized the need for a resolution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trump\u2019s directive represents a step to minimize the financial impact of the shutdown on military personnel while Congress continues discussions on federal funding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Democrats have now voted EIGHT TIMES to BLOCK pay for our troops and federal workers.
Chuck Schumer and Senate Democrats think every day of this shutdown \u201cgets better\u201d for them \u2014 even as it hurts hardworking Americans.
Once again, Democrats are putting AMERICANS LAST. pic.twitter.com\/0uIM2cKfW5<\/a><\/p>— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) October 10, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote>