Military personnel might miss their first paycheck since the government shutdown began, as the stopgap funds that had been used to cover them so far are running out.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CBS on October 26: “We were able to pay the military employees from excess funds at the Pentagon, middle of this month. I think we’ll be able to pay them beginning in November. But by November 15 our troops and service members who are willing to risk their lives aren’t going to be able to get paid.”
Newsweek contacted the Department of Defense via email on Monday.
Why It Matters
Active-duty service members are considered essential federal employees and have continued working during the government shutdown that began on October 1.
While the government has so far been able to pay them using redirected funds, those resources are running low, meaning they could be forced to work without pay after November 15 if the shutdown continues.
What To Know
The Trump administration has continued to pay service members during the shutdown by using a mix of legislative and Department of Defense funds, totaling $5.3 billion.
Of this, $2.5 billion came from One Big Beautiful Bill Act funds, $1.4 billion from the Pentagon’s procurement account, and $1.4 billion from its research, development, test, and evaluation funds, the White House Office of Management and Budget previously said, as per the Military Times.
According to the BBC, President Donald Trump also confirmed that the government would use a $130 million donation from an anonymous ally to help cover service members’ pay, though the amount is unlikely to significantly offset salaries for the roughly 1.3 million active-duty troops.
But Bessent said that there may not be funds available to pay service members on their next pay date of November 15.
The Treasury Secretary described it as an “embarrassment,” and blamed Democrats in Congress for the ongoing shutdown. Both Democrats and Republicans have traded blame for the weeks-long stalemate.
On Sunday, several Democratic senators joined Republicans to approve a procedural measure to temporarily fund the government. The bill still needs to pass a final vote in the Senate before going to the House of Representatives, a process that could last days or longer depending on if it faces opposition.
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump said on October 11 on Truth Social: “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.”
What Happens Next
It is not clear if the bill to reopen the government will pass by November 15, when service members are due to be next paid, or if any other solutions could be pursued for stop-gap funding.
