Troops to be paid despite shutdown

President Donald Trump said he is directing the Defense Department to use funds his administration has identified to deliver paychecks to US troops tomorrow, despite the ongoing government shutdown.

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A file image of the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, which serves as a central hub for US military planning and operations.

(NYT)

"I am using my authority, as Commander in Chief, to direct our Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to use all available funds to get our Troops PAID on October 15th," Mr Trump wrote in a Truth Social post Saturday.

More than a quarter of a million federal employees missed scheduled paychecks last week, and another 2 million are expected to go without pay this week, marking the third week of the shutdown.

Under current law, US troops aren’t guaranteed backpay during a shutdown, unlike civilian employees. The Pentagon's next military payday, which is tomorrow, was shaping up as a key pressure point in the ongoing standoff between Republicans and Democrats over a stopgap spending measure.