Trump Orders Military Pay Amid Prolonged US Government Shutdown

President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that he had issued an order to ensure military personnel are paid next week, despite the ongoing government shutdown during which many federal civil servants are working without salaries.

Trump instructed Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth to “use all available funds to get our Troops PAID on October 15th,” once again blaming Democrats for the deadlock, which has now entered its second week.

“I will not allow the Democrats to hold our Military, and the entire Security of our Nation, HOSTAGE, with their dangerous Government Shutdown,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

With no resolution in sight, both political parties continue to blame each other for the crisis, and Trump’s statement on Saturday marked another salvo in the ongoing political feud.

The shutdown has left hundreds of thousands of government workers either on temporary unpaid leave or deemed essential, required to work without pay.

• Approximately 1.3 million active-duty military personnel were scheduled to miss their pay next Wednesday — a situation unprecedented in modern US government shutdowns.
• Trump’s announcement on ensuring military pay followed reports that the White House began mass layoffs of federal workers on Friday, as part of efforts to pressure Democrats.

Trump’s Budget Chief, Russ Vought, confirmed the administration was moving ahead with plans to terminate some of the 750,000 federal employees placed on enforced leave. Court filings indicate that approximately 4,000 workers across various government agencies were slated for dismissal.

“Republicans would rather see thousands of Americans lose their jobs than sit down and negotiate with Democrats to reopen the government,” said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer.

Unions representing 800,000 government employees filed an emergency request with a federal judge in San Francisco to halt the firings. A hearing on the legality of these layoffs is scheduled for 16 October.

The government shutdown began after the September 30 deadline for Congress to pass a new funding bill passed without agreement. Senate Democrats have repeatedly blocked a Republican resolution to reopen federal agencies.

As the shutdown prolongs, congressional members have been looking to Trump to break the deadlock. However, the president has largely remained focused on other priorities, including:

• The Gaza ceasefire deal
• Deploying federal troops to support mass deportation operations in Democratic-led cities such as Chicago and Portland

The ongoing impasse threatens continued disruption to government operations and raises concerns about further economic and social consequences.

Key Facts About the Shutdown and Military Pay