President Trump rode to the rescue of the troops Saturday with an announcement that the Department of War had found enough money to cover an upcoming October 15 military payday. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump announced that the Schumer Shutdown would not cause hardship for military families.
President Trump delivers for the troops. pic.twitter.com/iZOvn2GULG
— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) October 11, 2025
He wrote:
Chuck Schumer recently said, “Every day gets better” during their Radical Left Shutdown. I DISAGREE! If nothing is done, because of “Leader” Chuck Schumer and the Democrats, our Brave Troops will miss the paychecks they are rightfully due on October 15th. That is why 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. We have identified funds to do this, and Secretary Hegseth will use them to PAY OUR TROOPS. I will not allow the Democrats to hold our Military, and the entire Security of our Nation, HOSTAGE, with their dangerous Government Shutdown. 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. Thank you for your attention to this matter!
DONALD J. TRUMP
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
The media was anticipating the U.S. military going on a no-pay status as a result of the Schumer Shutdown.
Heather Campbell lost her job working for a food bank over the summer because of federal funding cuts. Her husband serves as an officer in the Air Force, but now he’s facing the prospect of missing his next paycheck because of the government shutdown.
If lawmakers in Washington don't step in, Campbell’s husband won’t get paid on Wednesday. Because the couple lacks the savings to cover all their expenses, they expect to survive on credit cards to pay the mortgage and feed their three children, racking up debt as the political stalemate drags on.
“You’re asking us to put our lives on the line or the people we love to put their lives on the line,” said Campbell, 39, who lives outside Montgomery, Alabama, near Maxwell Air Force Base. “And you’re not even going to give us our paycheck. What? There is a lot of broken trust there.”
As it turned out, the government didn't have to step in.
Military commissaries were already leaning forward in anticipation of feeding a million-plus members of the Armed Forces who'd just missed a paycheck.
Attention Military Members and Families affected by the shutdown — the Exchange Credit Program is offering 0% interest and no payments on all commissary purchases for this month. More details below👇 https://t.co/yCBJBgviN0
— Kristina Wong 🇺🇸 (@kristina_wong) October 11, 2025
While military and Homeland Security operations can proceed apace without a current appropriation under the provisions of the Civil War era Feed and Forage Act (see 41 U.S.C. § 6301), troops don't have that protection. In fact, in 1877, the U.S. Army served for an entire year without pay because of a fight between Southern Democrats and Northern Republicans over bringing Reconstruction to an end. Eventually, pay was restored, but no back pay was awarded. During that time, the Army was called out to suppress the Great Railroad Strike of 1877, which swept across 11 states and left dozens of strikers dead.
There is probably enough cash sloshing around in procurement and R&D accounts to continue paying the troops until the Schumer Shutdown ends. But it probably won't be necessary. The House has queued up the Pay Our Troops Act (H.R. 1932). It could get a vote at any time Speaker Johnson desires. Its fate in the Senate is uncertain, as it would make it harder for Schumer to extract concessions from Trump. The fact that Trump was willing to make the effort to pay the military will have an effect on wavering Democrat senators.
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