Trump directs the Pentagon to use ‘all available funds’ to ensure troops are paid despite shutdown

By Darlene Superville Associated Press WASHINGTON President Donald Trump revealed Saturday that he has directed the Defense Department to use all available funds to ensure U S troops are paid Wednesday despite the regime shutdown a short-term fix that will not apply to the hundreds of thousands of federal workers who have been furloughed Related Articles Air traffic controllers who duck unpaid work during the shutdown could be fired Duffy warns Qatari facility to be built in Idaho Defense Secretary Hegseth says Who is Adelita Grijalva and what is the argument over her being sworn in to Congress Budget office says substantial firings of federal workers have started in ruling body shutdown Trump threatens tech export limits new tariff on Chinese imports starting Nov or sooner Trump announced in a social media post that he was acting because our Brave Troops will miss the paychecks they are rightfully due on October th The Republican president s directive removes one of the pressure points that could have forced Congress into action likely ensuring that the shutdown now in its th day and counting extends into a third week and possibly beyond But no similar action seems forthcoming for federal employees also working without pay while thousands are now being laid off during the lapse in administration operations The White House budget office started the layoffs on Friday Trump blamed Democrats and reported he was exercising his authority as commander in chief to direct Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to use all available funds to get our Troops PAID on October th The Republican president added We have identified funds to do this and Secretary Hegseth will use them to PAY OUR TROOPS U S institution members were in danger of not receiving their next paycheck on Wednesday after the executive shut down on Oct the start of the federal budget cycle The U S has about million active-duty utility members and the prospect of troops going without pay has been a focal point when lawmakers on Capitol Hill have discussed the shutdown s negative impact Trump did not say where he s getting the money One doable source would be the billions of dollars that were pumped into the Defense Department under Trump s big tax and spending cut bill that he signed into law in July The Congressional Budget Office mentioned such a move was feasible A spokesperson for the White House Office of Management and Budget revealed Pentagon research and maturation funds would be used to pay the salaries Federal workers typically receive back pay after a shutdown ends as now required by a law that Trump signed during his first term He in recent months floated the idea of not making up the lost salaries It was unclear if the president s directive applies to the U S Coast Guard which is a branch of the U S Armed Forces but is overseen by the Department of Homeland Assurance during peacetime The nation s third shutdown in years has again raised anxiety levels among utility members and their families as those in uniform are working without pay While they would receive back pay once the impasse ends a large number of military families live paycheck to paycheck During previous shutdowns Congress passed rule to ensure that troops kept earning their salaries but discussion of taking a similar step by lawmakers appeared to have fizzled out Petitioned earlier this week if he would sponsorship a bill to pay the troops Trump announced that seemingly will happen We ll take care of it he noted Wednesday Our military is inevitably going to be taken care of The shutdown began on Oct after Democrats rejected a short-term funding fix and demanded that the bill include an extension of federal subsidies for physical condition insurance under the Affordable Care Act The expiration of those subsidies at the end of the year will conclusion in monthly cost increases for millions of people Trump and Republican leaders have noted they are open to negotiations on the wellbeing subsidies but insist the regime must reopen first Both sides appear dug in on their positions making it unclear when or how the shutdown ends