U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Saturday, October 11, 2025, that his administration has found a way to ensure military personnel are paid during the ongoing federal government shutdown. He confirmed that he has directed Pete Hegseth, the Pentagon chief, to proceed with these payments.
In a post on Truth Social, the President stated, “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.”
Mr. Trump further asserted, “We have identified funds to do this, and Secretary Hegseth will use them to PAY OUR TROOPS.”
However, Mr. Trump did not specify the exact funding sources or the total sum allocated for these military salaries.
Requests for further details regarding the identified funds from both the Pentagon and the White House received no immediate response.
This announcement came on the eleventh day of a federal government shutdown, triggered by a dispute over funding with the minority congressional Democrats.
Despite the Republican Party holding majorities in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, passing a spending bill requires 60 votes in the Senate. This means Republicans need the support of at least seven Democratic senators to advance any legislation.
Democrats are leveraging this situation to advocate for the continuation and expansion of healthcare subsidies for individuals purchasing insurance through the Affordable Care Act. They have consistently refused to support any government spending bill that fails to address this critical issue.
In his Truth Social message, President Trump asserted that he would “not allow the Democrats to hold our Military, and the entire Security of our Nation HOSTAGE with their dangerous Government shutdown.”
He concluded by pledging to collaborate with Democrats on healthcare reforms, provided they agree to end the government shutdown first.