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

WASHINGTON AP President Donald Trump explained Saturday that he has directed the Defense Department to use all available funds to ensure U S troops are paid Wednesday despite the leadership shutdown a short-term fix that will not apply to the hundreds of thousands of federal workers who have been furloughed Trump noted 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 governing body 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 system members were in danger of not receiving their next paycheck on Wednesday after the establishment shut down on Oct the start of the federal budget cycle The U S has about million active-duty operation 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 but a spokesperson for the White House Office of Management and Budget mentioned Pentagon research and enhancement funds would be tapped The Pentagon announced it identified about billion of unobligated research advancement testing and evaluation funds from the last fiscal year that will be used to issue the mid-month paychecks in the event the funding lapse continues past October th 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 days 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 Shield during peacetime The nation s third shutdown in years has again raised anxiety levels among organization members and their families as those in uniform are working without pay While they would receive back pay once the impasse ends a multitude of military families live paycheck to paycheck During previous shutdowns Congress passed regulation to ensure that troops kept earning their salaries but discussion of taking a similar step by lawmakers appeared to have fizzled out Appealed earlier this week if he would endorsement a bill to pay the troops Trump mentioned that supposedly will happen We ll take care of it he reported 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 wellbeing insurance under the Affordable Care Act The expiration of those subsidies at the end of the year will end in monthly cost increases for millions of people Trump and Republican leaders have announced they are open to negotiations on the wellness 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 Associated Press writer Konstantin Toropin contributed to this review