Trump Orders Defense Dept. to Issue Military Paychecks During Shutdown

Trump Orders Defense Dept. to Issue Military Paychecks During Shutdown

President says Pentagon will repurpose existing funds to cover payroll.

October 5, 2025 Washington, D.C. President Donald Trump on Sunday directed the Department of Defense to issue paychecks to active-duty military personnel despite the ongoing federal government shutdown, saying the Pentagon would “repurpose” available funds to ensure service members are paid on time.

The move comes as the shutdown, now entering its second week, has left hundreds of thousands of federal workers unpaid and agencies partially shuttered, with lawmakers still deadlocked over spending and border security provisions.

“Our brave men and women in uniform will not go without pay because of political games in Washington,” Trump said in a statement released Sunday evening. “We will use every available dollar to make sure they and their families are taken care of.”

Defense Department officials confirmed that Trump’s order instructs the Pentagon to reallocate unobligated funds from discretionary accounts to cover payroll for active-duty and reserve military personnel. Civilian Defense Department employees and contractors, however, remain subject to the broader funding lapse.

A Limited Solution

Administration officials described the order as a temporary measure to prevent disruptions to troop paychecks expected to go out Wednesday. The arrangement is expected to cover approximately 1.3 million active-duty service membersand 800,000 reservists and Guard personnel.

Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder said the department is “working to comply with the directive” and would prioritize ensuring “financial stability for military families during this period of uncertainty.”

Still, the plan may only be a short-term fix. Defense budget experts cautioned that the Pentagon’s ability to repurpose funds is finite and legally constrained, raising questions about how long the department can continue making payroll without a congressional appropriation.

“The Defense Department can shift money within certain accounts, but it cannot spend what Congress hasn’t authorized indefinitely,” said Todd Harrison, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “This buys time, not a solution.”

Reaction on Capitol Hill

The president’s move drew mixed reactions from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.

Republican leaders largely praised the order, saying it shows the administration’s commitment to the military amid partisan gridlock.

“The president is doing what Congress should have done days ago, making sure our troops get paid,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). “It’s common sense and decency.”

Democrats, however, criticized the decision as politically selective, arguing that Trump is using the military to deflect criticism while millions of other federal employees remain without pay.

“No one opposes paying the troops,” said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), “but this administration shouldn’t be picking winners and losers during a shutdown of its own making.”

Some lawmakers also questioned whether the order could violate the Antideficiency Act, a federal law prohibiting agencies from spending unappropriated funds. Administration officials maintained that the directive complies with existing emergency authorities.

The Broader Impact

The shutdown, triggered by a dispute over border security funding and domestic spending cuts, continues to strain federal operations. Air travel delays have increased as TSA and FAA staff work without pay, national parks remain closed, and federal loan and grant programs are on hold.

For military families, the decision offers welcome relief, though uncertainty lingers.

“We’re grateful we’ll still get paid, but it’s hard to feel secure when everything else around you is falling apart,” said Rachel Mendoza, the spouse of an Army sergeant stationed at Fort Hood, Texas.

A Centrist View: Relief Without Resolution

From a centrist standpoint, Trump’s directive provides short-term humanitarian relief but underscores the dysfunction of America’s fiscal politics. Paying troops is a moral and practical necessity, yet bypassing Congress, even temporarily, highlights how executive improvisation has replaced legislative compromise.

The president’s move may ease pressure on military families but also reduces urgency for lawmakers to end the impasse. Ultimately, analysts say, no administrative workaround can substitute for the constitutional responsibility of Congress to fund the government.

For now, one group of federal employees will see paychecks arrive on time this week, but millions of others remain caught in Washington’s deepening standoff, with no clear end in sight.