President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that he has found a solution to ensure American service members receive their paychecks on October 15, despite the ongoing government shutdown. The president shared this update on his Truth Social platform, stating that he has instructed War Secretary Pete Hegseth to take immediate action.
Trump criticized Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and the Democrats for the shutdown, asserting that their actions could prevent troops from getting paid. He emphasized his role as Commander in Chief, saying he would use his authority to direct Hegseth to utilize available funds to ensure that military personnel receive their due pay on time.
In his message, Trump expressed determination to find a workaround to the funding issues caused by the shutdown. He stated, "We have identified funds to do this, and Secretary Hegseth will use them to PAY OUR TROOPS." He made it clear that he would not allow the Democrats to jeopardize the military and national security through the shutdown.
Trump concluded his announcement by urging Democrats to work together to reopen the government. He stated, "The Radical Left Democrats should OPEN THE GOVERNMENT, and then we can work together to address Healthcare, and many other things that they want to destroy."
Secretary Hegseth supported Trump’s announcement, highlighting the administration’s commitment to ensuring that no military-dependent child goes without healthcare or medicine during the shutdown. He also praised House Speaker Mike Johnson for actively communicating about the situation on various media platforms.
Hegseth took a moment to criticize Schumer for voting against measures that would support the troops, stating, "Shame on Chuck Schumer for voting NO and preventing our brave troops from getting a paycheck."
The announcement comes amid rising tensions between Democrats and Republicans over the government shutdown, with concerns about its impact on essential services and military pay at the forefront of the discussion.