Trump Says He Will Use Available Funds to Ensure Troops Are Paid
As the U.S. government faced a partial shutdown due to stalled negotiations in Congress, President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that he has identified funds within the Pentagon’s resources to ensure active-duty service members receive their pay. In a post attributed to the Commander in Chief, Trump directed Secretary of War (a commonly referenced title for the Defense Secretary) to use all available funds to pay troops on October 15, the date when paychecks would otherwise be at risk.
What the President Claimed and Who Responded
Trump wrote that he would exercise his authority to direct the Defense Department to deploy funds to meet payroll obligations. He specified Secretary Pete Hegseth as the official responsible for implementing this directive. The post drew a quick public acknowledgement from Hegseth, who reposted Trump’s message with a statement praising the administration’s action for servicemembers.
Context: The Shutdown and Pay Concerns
The shutdown raised immediate concerns among U.S. service members that they might miss their first full paychecks of the period. Historically, disruptions to appropriations can complicate routine payroll processing for the armed forces. The White House and Pentagon indicated that certain funds could be redirected or repurposed to cover military compensation—but the precise mechanics remained unclear at the time of the announcements.
How Funds Could Be Used
According to one White House official who spoke on background, the Defense Department could potentially draw from research and development (R&D) funding to cover active-duty pay. The official noted that these funds are available for two years, but did not provide detailed figures or the exact portion that might be allocated toward payroll. The claim underscores the broader debate about what cap adjustments or reallocation authorities exist during a government standstill.
Legal and Practical Considerations
Legal experts have cautioned that reallocating funds to payroll could have long-term implications for Pentagon programs, including ongoing research, procurement, and readiness activities. Pentagon officials typically operate under tight budget controls, and any reallocation would likely require internal approvals and policy interpretations. While Trump asserted he would ensure every penny reached service members, the specifics of funding streams and whether such transfers would affect other military priorities remained a matter of public and expert scrutiny.
Reactions and Implications
Supporters of the administration argued that protecting service members’ pay is a critical national-security and morale issue, especially during a period of political impasse. Critics, meanwhile, warned that ad hoc fund transfers could set precedents for future crises and may complicate congressional oversight ahead of upcoming budget decisions. The situation highlighted the tension between ensuring military readiness and maintaining strict fiscal controls during a shutdown.
What Comes Next
As negotiations continued, the Pentagon and White House were expected to provide additional clarifications on how payroll would be safeguarded and what conditions, if any, would apply to the use of alternative funding. The episode illustrated how the military’s payroll operations intersect with broader partisan budget battles and the potential impact on service members’ livelihoods.
