President Donald Trump directed Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to ensure that U.S. service members receive their next paychecks, despite the government shutdown stretching into its fifteenth day.
In a memorandum signed on Wednesday, Trump expressed that “congressional leaders have indicated that political negotiations have stalemated” and that it was unlikely that the “necessary bipartisan legislation” to end the government shutdown would be passed before October 15, when active-duty military personnel are supposed to get their next paychecks.
Trump directed Hegseth to work “in coordination with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, to use for the purpose of pay and allowances any funds appropriated by the Congress that remain available for expenditure in Fiscal Year 2026 to accomplish the scheduled disbursement of military pay and allowances for” active-duty military members, and reserve members of the military “Who have performed active service during the relevant pay period.”
“The current appropriations lapse, which includes a lapse in the annual appropriations that the Congress provides for the pay and allowances of military personnel, is now in its fifteenth day.” the memorandum says. “Further, congressional leaders have indicated that political negotiations have stalemated and that the passage of the necessary bipartisan legislation to end the lapse is unlikely to occur before our active duty military personnel are scheduled to receive their next paychecks on October 15th.”
“This potential outcome presents a serious and unacceptable threat to military readiness and the ability of our Armed Forces to protect and defend our Nation,” the memorandum continued.
Taking questions from reporters while hosting Argentinian President Javier Milei at the White House on Tuesday, Trump claimed that a “wealthy person” had offered to pay U.S. military troops if the government ran out of money necessary to pay them during the shutdown.
Trump clarified that he told the wealthy donor that his administration would not need it, and that they would “take care of our troops.”
In a post on X on Tuesday, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) said the Trump administration would pay the U.S. military and law enforcement officials, and would also continue making reductions in force (RIFs) in the federal workforce.
“OMB is making every preparation to batten down the hatches and ride out the Democrats’ intransigence,” OMB said. “Pay the troops, pay law enforcement, continue the RIFs, and wait.”
The memorandum signed by Trump comes as “Congressional aides” have previously told Reuters that in order for U.S. troops to be paid on October 15, “legislation would have to pass by October 13.”
Breitbart News’s Lowell Cauffiel reported:
As in past shutdowns, troops continue reporting to work as their roles are considered essential for national security.
The shutdown began on Oct. 1 after two thirds of the Senate failed to pass an ongoing resolution to fund the government in a dispute over Affordable Care Act premiums.
Prior to the government shutdown, Rep. Jennifer Kiggans (R-VA) introduced the Pay Our Troops Act on September 16, which has not been passed.
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