President Donald Trump moved decisively Saturday to protect U.S. troops from financial fallout as Washington’s budget gridlock drags on.
According to Politico, with the government shutdown edging into a third week, Trump ordered the Pentagon to reallocate $8 billion from defense R&D funds to cover military paychecks due October 15, bypassing a Congress that seems unwilling to act.
The announcement came as the Senate failed once again to pass a spending package, sparking real fears troops might miss a paycheck — an alarming first in American history.
White House Acts as Congress Stalls
Trump instructed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to “use all available funds” to ensure troops are paid, according to statements made during his announcement over the weekend. The cash will come from military research and development accounts that remain legally available for two years, with roughly $8 billion earmarked to bridge the payroll gap. While most of the Republican base agrees troops should not be left in the lurch, congressional leadership declined to back a standalone funding bill designed to cover military salaries.
Trump Moves, but Legal Questions Follow
“We have identified funds to do this, and Secretary Hegseth will use them to PAY OUR TROOPS,” Trump said. “I will not allow the Democrats to hold our Military, and the entire Security of our Nation, HOSTAGE, with their dangerous Government Shutdown.”
Some Republicans, like Rep. Jen Kiggans, praised the president’s move. Claiming this was “exactly” what her Pay Our Troops Act intended, the Virginia lawmaker also called for an end to the broader shutdown. Meanwhile, House and Senate GOP leaders stiff-armed the standalone pay effort, reportedly concerned it would undercut broader negotiations and shift funds from other defense priorities like shipbuilding.
OMB Clears Funds; Watchdogs Remain Silent
According to an official at the Office of Management and Budget, the administration plans to tap into flexible defense accounts designated for research, testing, and development. Though legal gray areas exist—especially under the Antideficiency Act, which prohibits spending beyond amounts appropriated—no formal challenge has yet been made by oversight agencies.
A spokesperson for the Government Accountability Office confirmed it has not reviewed the administration’s shutdown strategy and has received no formal request to do so.
Flashbacks to 2019 Funding Fight
Concerns aren’t unfounded. In 2019, the GAO found the Trump administration had violated the law while redirecting funds during a federal shutdown, warning that future violations could be prosecuted as “knowing and willful.” This time around, the legal waters remain murky. GAO officials said it is unclear whether the current circumstances mirror the previous case closely enough to reassert a legal breach.
Still, some Democrats are already putting pressure on oversight bodies to intervene. Rep. Rosa DeLauro accused the administration of “violating the law left and right,” asserting confidence that the GAO would eventually step in.
Republicans Call For Coordination, Not Chaos
Veteran Affairs Chair Mike Bost struck a conciliatory tone, saying he hoped the administration would keep Congress in the loop on high-stakes decisions involving military budgeting. "Hopefully, the administration, before they decide that, will reach out to us,” Bost said.
That said, he expressed support for Trump’s desire to make sure troops stay paid. Despite disagreement on the mechanism, most Republicans seem united in their bottom-line objective: protect the men and women in uniform from Washington’s dysfunction.
Government Paralysis, But Troop Support Endures
While many in Congress fiddle with symbolic votes and political positioning, the White House took real, arguably risky action to ensure our warfighters can feed their families this week. Using research funds isn’t ideal, especially when those dollars were intended for long-term development, but neither is leaving our troops in limbo while Congress twiddles its thumbs.
Troop funding isn't a partisan issue—it’s a national one. If the legislative branch won’t do its job, it shouldn’t come as a shock when the executive branch starts finding workarounds.
